c 


nO\'  3  1911     *] 


BV  3427 

.A45  ] 

P6 

Porter, 

Henry 

Dwight , 

1845- 

1916. 

William 

Scott 

Ament , 

missionary  o 

f  the  American 

William  Scott  Ament 


cS.  Jp'y^-^M^ 


William  Scott  Ament 

Missionary  of  the  American         ^ — - — ...^^^ 
Board  to  China  /^^  ''^  ^'^'^'i^-T^ 

NOV   3  1911 


■%£fi/WL  SEWO^ 


By 
HENRY  D.  PORTER,  M.  D.,  D.  D. 

Author  of  ** Biography  and  Memorial  of 
Henry  Dickinson  Smith  " 


ILLUSTRATED 


New  York        Chicago        Toronto 

Fleming    H.    Re  veil    Company 

London    and      Edinburgh 


Copyright,   19",  by 
FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 


New    York:     158    Fifth    Avenue  ^ 
Chicago:     80     Wabash     Avenue 
Toronto :  25  Richmond  Street,  W. 
London:    21    Paternoster    Square 
Edinburgh:      100    Princes    Street 


To  the  Oberlin  men  and  women 

in  China 

Evangelists ^  Cofifessors,  and  Martyrs 

**  A  noble  band  of  men  and  boys 
The  matron  and  the  maid" 

this  record,  of  the  earliest 
of  their  number  in  service^ 

is  gladly  dedicated 


The  Threshold  Sign 

THE  entrance  court  of  many  a  mandarin's  home 
is  emblazoned  with  narrow  wooden  placards  in 
red,  recording  the  successive  steps  by  which  he 
has  ascended  from  the  low  initial  office  to  some  high 
grade  of  influence  and  authority.  This  is  the  threshold 
sign. 

All  life  when  rightly  viewed  is  a  life  of  progression. 
The  Chinese  proverb  sums  up  the  thought  when  it  says : 

He  starts  from  the  plain  who  ascends  the  heights, 
He  proceeds  from  the  near  who  journeys  afar. 

The  missionary  life  is  such  a  life  of  progress.  The 
simple  common  life  of  a  man  takes  on  strength  and 
beauty  as  its  aim  is  to  carry  other  lives  into  the  high  at- 
mosphere of  true  living  and  thinking  into  the  large  at- 
mosphere of  rightly  directed  faith  and  love. 

The  purpose  of  this  volume  is  essentially  not  that  of 
eulogy.     It  is  a  study  of  work  and  service  in  a  great  cause. 

There  is  always  a  place  for  praise  and  commendation 
in  a  good  life.  The  wise  and  thoughtful  estimate  of 
many  friends  and  associates  will  find  natural  expression 
at  the  appropriate]place  and  time. 

The  attractiveness  of  the  present  record  will  be  found 
in  the  details  of  a  distant  and  commanding  effort.  It  is 
the  fascination  of  Christian  service  which  invites  the 
heart  to  its  tables  of  effort  and  to  its  hope  of  progress. 

Through  fifty  years  of  dramatic  political  interest,  China 
has  drawn  to  herself  the  gaze  of  the  nations  wondering  at 
her  quaintness  and  isolations.  The  recent  years  have  in- 
formed the  thinking  world  of  China's  position  among  the 
old  as  well  as  the  new  nations.    It  is  of  her  future  and 

7 


8  THE  THRESHOLD  SIGN 

not  of  her  past  that  men  are  making  an  estimate  now. 
We  know  her  in  the  large. 

But  of  that  pathway  by  which  progress  is  made,  by 
which  our  Western  civilization  is  making  inroads  upon 
her  isolated  past,  little  is  known  in  detail.  And  of  that 
missionary  service  which  assumes  now  such  vast  propor- 
tion still  less  has  been  known. 

The  details  of  such  service,  slowly  unfolding  from 
little  to  large,  will  be  found  here,  recorded  in  familiar 
letters,  in  the  individual  lives  influenced,  and  the  organ- 
izations established  through  simple  and  constant  as  well 
as  patient  effort.  In  the  more  formal  letters  to  the  mis- 
sionary secretaries  will  be  seen  clearly  the  political  as- 
pects of  the  work  in  hand,  through  commercial  and  dip- 
lomatic necessities. 

The  thrilling  days  of  the  great  revolt  of  China  against 
foreign  influence  and  domination  are  here  portrayed  in 
clear-cut  lines,  with  the  result  of  a  new  China  and  a  new 
hope. 

Opportunities  pass  into  results.  The  union  and  feder- 
ation of  Christians  in  the  glad  work  of  bringing  the 
blessed  kingdom  of  God  to  a  people  happily  well  pre- 
pared for  peace  and  quietness  of  life  are  here  shown  as  a 
rich  though  unfulfilled  hope. 

Because  of  these,  the  author  ventures  to  solicit  the  in- 
terest and  the  prayers  of  his  readers. 

It  will  be  fitting  here  to  acknowledge  a  great  indebted- 
ness to  Mrs.  Ament  for  her  careful  gathering  of  the 
abundant  letters,  illustrating  the  many  years  of  her 
husband's  service,  as  well  as  for  her  frequent  suggestions 
and  counsel  as  to  facts  and  occasions. 

A  like  indebtedness  is  due  to  Miss  M.  G.  Schirmer,  and 
to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Leete,  of  Kew  Haven,  for  letters  and 
newspaper  clippings.  H.  D.  P. 

La  Mesa,  California, 


Contents 

I.  Ancestry  and  Boyhood 

II.  College  and  Seminary  Life  . 

III.  Life  at  Pao  Ting  Fu      . 

IV.  Peking  and  the  North  China  Mission 

V.  Life  in  Peking        .... 

VI.  A  Pastorate  in  America 

VII.  The  Renewal  of  Life  in  China     . 

VIII.  Out  of  the  Depths 

IX.  The  Expansion  of  Service 

X.  Second  Furlough  and  Return 

XI.  Reform,  Progress  and  Omens  of  Evil 

XII.  Rumblings  of  the  Boxer  Earthquake 

XIII.  The  Breaking  of  the  Storm 

XIV.  Flotsam  and  Jetsam  in  Peking 

XV.  When  Wars  Cease 

XVI.  An  Episode  in  Missionary  Experience 

XVII.  Incidents  in  the  Reconstruction  Period 

XVIII.  A  Missionary  Furlough 

XIX.  Renewals  at  Peking 

XX.  Country  Touring  and  Active  Mission 

Work      ..... 

XXI.  Growth    of  Union  in  Mission  Effort 

XXII.  Heralds  of  the  New  China 

9 


13 

24 
37 
55 

71 
88 

97 
116 

126 

H3 

157 
166 

180 

201 
212 

223 

253 
266 

278 
288 
302 


10 


CONTENTS 


XXIII.  Deputation,  Conference    and    Feder 

ATION  ..... 

XXIV.  New  Hopes  for  Social  and  Moral  Up 

LIFT  IN  China 

XXV.  Illness  and  Death 

XXVI.  Memorial    Services   and   Tributes   to 

THE  Memory  of  Dr.  Ament    . 

Appendix,  with  Memorial  Extracts 
Index     


328 

340 

349 
364 
371 


Illustrations 

Facing  page 
William  Scott  Ament   .....    Frontispiece 

Emily    Hammond    Ament    (i860),    Winfield    Scott 

Ament  (i860),  William  Ament,  age  12     .  .        18 

William  Scott  Ament  (1877),  Mary  P.  Ament  (1877), 

Owosso  Church,  where  Ament  was  ordained     .       34 

An  Apostolical  Succession — Rev.  E.  C.  Bridgman, 
Rev.  Henry  Blodget,  D.  D.,  William  Scott 
Ament,  D.  D.,  Dr.  Chauncey  Goodrich  and 
Rev.  Chester  Holcombe  .....       58 

Map  of  Peking  Out-stations   .  .  .  .  .106 

W.  S.  Ament  (1885) 114 

Emily  Ament  .  .  .  .  .  .  .114 

Von  Ketteler  Memorial  Arch  .  .  .  .184 

Pastor  Meng  Chi  Tseng  and  Family  .  .  .184 

Dr.  Ament  Receiving  Village  Deputations        .         .     210 

Madam  Ament,  age  75 254 

Mrs.  William  S.  Ament  (1901)        ....     254 

William  S.  Ament  (1898) 254 

Owosso  Church  (1898)  where  Farewell  Address  was 

given      .         .       ' 254 

Street  Chapel  and  American  Bible  Society,  Entrance 

to  Mission  Compound     .....     266 

Church  and  Woman's  Union  College       .         .         .     274 

Mission  Compound,  Peking  (1905)  .         .         .     274 

II 


12 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Boys*  School  and  Dormitory    . 

Dr.  Ament  and  Schoolboys 

Village  Schools  and  Village  Preachers 

North  Church         .... 

Memorial  School    .... 

Pastor  Jen  and  Family    . 

Family  Tree  .... 


288 
288 

300 

332 
338 
348 


"  A  brilliant  boy  that  I  once  knew, 
In  far-off,  happy  days  of  old, 
With  sweet,  frank  face  and  eyes  of  blue, 
And  hair  that  shone  like  gold ; 

"  A  figure  sinewy,  lithe,  and  strong, 
A  laugh  infectious  in  its  glee, 
A  voice  as  beautiful  as  song 
When  heard  along  the  sea." 

—O'Brien, 


ANCESTRY  AND   BOYHOOD 

AN  American  transferred  to  China  learns  to  esti- 
mate his  ancestry  from  a  new  point  of  view.  It 
is  enough  for  the  average  American  lad  to  think 
chiefly  of  the  self-made  man,  and  to  rejoice  in  his  indi- 
viduality. As  others  have  risen  from  humble  homes  to 
high  honors  or  to  great  wealth,  the  ambition  of  the 
American  youth  leads  him  to  make  little  of  heredity, 
select  his  own  environment,  turn  the  tides  of  life  and  of 
men  to  his  own  personal  development.  Others  have 
with  happy  daring  adopted  the  apothegm  of  the  untram- 
melled poet: 

"  I  am  Captain  of  my  son!." 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  original  beating  of  youth- 
ful wings  against  the  bars  guarded  by  the  modern  angels, 
Heredity  and  Environment,  which,  forceful  and  fateful, 
preside  over  the  possibilities  of  life,  William  Scott  Ament 
would  not  have  hesitated  to  accept  the  prime  monitions 
so  constant  among  the  Chinese  in  quotation,  and  so  full  of 
meaning  in  their  application  : 

"  Treasnre  the  origins 
Search  the  sources  ' ' 

"  The  Princely  man, "  that  is  the  gentleman  and  scholar, 
"  Never  forgets  hts  originals." 
13 


U  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Filial  Piety  adopts  these  ancient  phrases  and  keeps  its 
records  as  faithfully  as  the  Scribes  who  gathered  the 
names  in  the  Scripture  Chronicles.  In  our  modern  days 
Science  and  Eeligion  join  easily  with  patriarchal  form 
bidding  men  to  search  and  find  the  source  of  Life,  of 
Mind,  of  Matter. 

It  is,  then,  with  peculiar  interest  that  one  may  turn  to 
gather  the  items  suggestive  of  physical  and  mental 
qualities  which  we  are  to  find  in  the  unfolding  aptitudes 
of  an  American  boy  preparing  unwittingly  for  a  far-off 
and  distinguished  service.  For  us  his  life  has  a  fuller  in- 
terpretation when  we  place  on  record  the  story  of  ances- 
tors whose  names  appear  in  English  and  New  England 
history,  as  well  as  in  that  of  Holland  and  France.  The 
**  Melting  Pot "  is  not  the  discovery  alone  of  the  twentieth 
century. 

William  Scott  Ament,  the  second  child  and  eldest  son 
of  Winfield  Scott  and  Emily  Hammond  Ament,  was  born 
at  Owosso,  Michigan,  September  14,  1851.  His  father, 
Winfield  Scott,  was  descended  from  Pieter  Ament  and 
Elizabeth  van  Thienhoven,  who  came  from  Holland  and 
settled  in  New  Jersey,  near  enough  to  New  York  to  at- 
tend the  old  Dutch  church,  where  their  eleven  children 
were  baptized.  These  baptisms  are  carefully  listed  in 
the  early  volumes  of  the  church  records  1639-1730. 

In  the  third  generation,  Eldert  Ament,  son  of  Eldert 
Ament,  the  son  of  Pieter,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Ee volution, 
and  moved  to  Albany,  thence  to  Schenectady  and  finally 
to  Dansville.  His  son  William  met  in  his  native  village 
of  Dansville  Susan  Perine,  daughter  of  Captain  William 
Perine,  fifth  settler  in  Dansville.  Here  the  line  of  Dutch 
descent  j  oins  with  that  of  the  Huguenot.  William  Perine 
was  a  descendant  of  Daniel  Perrin,  an  immigrant,  who 
came  to  America  in  the  good  ship  Philip  with  Governor 
George  Carteret  in  1665,     **  Captain  William  Perine  was 


ANCESTRY  AND  BOYHOOD  15 

born  in  New  Jersey.  He  served  in  the  Revolution  five 
years  under  Francis  Marion,  and  was  mustered  out  at  the 
close  of  the  war.  He  moved  to  Cambridge  and  thence  by 
team  to  Williamsburg  and  finally  to  Dansville  in  1799.'^ 
The  history  of  Dansville  speaks  of  Captain  William 
Ferine  as  having  gained  the  respect  of  Indians  and  their 
obedience.  He  was  a  man  of  weight  and  influence. 
Susan,  the  fifth  daughter,  married  William  Ament,  a 
merchant  of  Dansville.  After  the  death  of  her  husband 
and  eldest  son,  she  married  a  Mr.  Griswold.  After  the 
death  of  the  latter,  Mrs.  Griswold  and  her  family  of  sons 
removed  to  Owosso,  Michigan,  about  1840.  The  oldest  of 
these,  Winfield  Scott,  was  a  worker  in  iron,  and  went  to 
New  Orleans  each  winter,  by  steamer,  to  ply  his  trade 
among  the  plantations.  Extracts  from  his  journal  are 
quaint  and  interesting. 

"October  25,  1844. — Left  Detroit  at  eight  o'clock  in  the 
Julia  Painter ;  arrived  at  Cleveland  at  eight  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  Bargained  with  captain  of  the  canal  boat  Nile  to 
carry  us  through  to  Portsmouth  for  six  dollars  each.  Cleve- 
land is  altogether  a  pretty  place. 

''October  30th. — Good  country  these  Buckeyes  have  got. 
The  Muskingum  Valley  is  beautiful  beyond  description.  Corn- 
fields of  a  hundred  acres  each  stretched  along  its  banks,  and 
the  inhabitants  in  their  log  cabins  present  a  strange  contrast  of 
wealth  and  poverty. 

"  Thursday. — Passed  Newark.  Quite  a  business  place. 
The  country  now  assumes  a  different  aspect.  Large  and 
beautiful  farms  with  elegant  buildings  present  themselves  to  our 
view.  The  Coshocton  too  is  an  interesting  sight  with  its  mills 
and  manufactories.  Great  Whig  country  this.  Elected  a  Whig 
governor.  All  Whig  poles  along  here.  Three  cheers  for  Ohio. 
6th. — Arrived  at  Cincinnati  this  morning  on  steam  packet 
Meteor t  splendid  new  boat.  Cincinnati  is  truly  a  great  city. 
Crossed  over  to  Covington  by  the  ferry.  Smart  little  place. 
We  visited  the  iron  works.  About  a  hundred  hands  are  em- 
ployed.    Iron  both  wrought  and  pig  metal. 

''  Saturday,  6th, — Reached  Memphis,  Tennessee.     Went  up 


16  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

in  town — pretty  place ;  some  say  three  or  four  thousand  in- 
habitants. I  saw  lots  of  slaves  loading  a  steamboat  with  cot- 
ton, their  principal  export.  Memphis  is  the  largest  place  in 
the  state. 

"  Friday  morning,  2 2d. — Here  we  are  in  the  Crescent  City, 
six  miles  in  length  on  the  river  and  one  mile  in  depth  back  into 
the  Swamp — one  canal  to  Lake  Ponchartrain ;  two  railroads 
over  to  Carrollton.  Strange  contrast  to  see  the  splendid 
mansion  of  the  French  grandee  by  the  side  of  the  hut  of  the 
poor  peasant.  Very  narrow  streets  and  very  filthy.  Sunday. 
— Beautiful  day,  fine  as  summer.  Went  to  church,  a  fine  stone 
building  well  filled  with  people  all  grades  and  conditions; 
heard  a  good  sermon. 

"Thursday,  Nov.  28th. — Went  out  on  the  levee  to  see  the 
ships  and  steamboats  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach  up  and  down 
the  river  and  such  a  multitudinous  mass  of  human  beings. 
Some  at  work  lading  and  unlading  vessels.  Business  men 
hurrying  to  and  fro.  All  the  cripples  and  paupers  and 
wenches,  with  apples,  oranges,  or  with  cigars  or  bananas,  are 
sitting  on  every  log  or  stick  of  timber  begging  of  you  to  buy, 
and  little  boys  with  their  arms  full  of  newspapers  meeting  you  at 
every  turn.  Hoosiers,  Suckers  and  Corn  Crackers  with  their 
flatboats  loaded  with  the  products  of  the  past  season  are  mak- 
ing ready  to  retail  their  produce  to  the  citizens  of  the  city. 
Take  it  all  in  all  it  is  a  perfect  Bedlam. 

"  February  24,  1845  (Rocky  Springs,  Mississippi). — Still 
with  the  planters  and  still  pass  by  the  appellation,  the  Yankee 
blacksmith,  doing  up  their  ploughs  at  the  roundest  rate  they 
ever  had  it  done.  Outdoing  any  man  that  has  made  his  ap- 
pearance in  the  South,  doing  what  they  had  never  expected  to 
have  done,  laying  ploughs,  that  they  had  thrown  by  as  useless. 
Made  tools,  jumped  axes,  and  received  a  great  deal  of  praise 
for  my  workmanship." 

On  a  second  trip  malaria  claimed  Winfield  as  a  victim, 
and  as  trade  languished,  he  became  homesick,  and  re- 
turned to  Michigan  where  his  brother  had  started  the  first 
newspaper  of  the  town  whose  name,  the  Argus,  still 
survives  in  a  successor.  His  mother  had  left  Dansville 
after  the  second  period, — frame  houses  succeeding  log, — 
and  found  herself  again  in  frontier  conditions.    She  is 


ANCESTRY  AND  BOYHOOD  17 

described  by  those  who  knew  her  in  Dansville  as  viva- 
cious and  quite  a  belle,  having  a  dainty  taste  in  dress  and 
also  an  imperious  will.  Ill  health  and  the  loss  of  children 
and  husband  left  their  mark  in  later  years  upon  her  once 
bright  and  lively  disposition.  She  made  her  home  with 
Winfield,  whose  good  cheer  and  hearty  cordial  ways 
made  him  a  centre  of  attraction. 

Winfield  Ament  made  no  mistake  when  he  took  as  his 
bride  Emily  Hammond,  of  Fleming,  Cayuga  County, 
New  York.  Her  vigorous  practical  mind,  gentle  dis- 
position, and  deeply  religious  nature,  tinged  with  some- 
thing of  melancholy,  gave  her  great  power  to  help  and 
influence  those  about  her.  Through  her  father,  Ephraim 
Hammond,  farmer,  surveyor  and  legislator,  she  was 
descended  from  William  Hammond  of  London,  England, 
and  Elizabeth  Penn,  sister  of  the  Admiral  Sir  William 
Penn  and  aunt  to  William  Penn  the  Quaker.  "  William 
Hammond  died  and  was  buried  in  London.  His  widow 
with  her  son  Benjamin  came  over  to  New  England  in  the 
troublous  times  of  1634,  from  a  desire  to  have  the  liberty 
to  serve  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  conscience. 
They  arrived  in  Boston,  September  18,  1634,  in  the  ship 
GriffiUj  and  had  with  them  the  Rev.  John  Lothrop,  their 
minister.  Mrs.  Hammond  lived  in  Boston  and  Water- 
town  until  1638  when  she  joined  Rev.  John  Lothrop^s 
church  in  Scituate,  being  the  thirty-third  member  of  that 
church."  ^  Rochester,  now  Marion,  Mass.,  was  long  the 
home  of  the  Hammond  family — Ephraim' s  grandfather 
moved  to  Dutchess  County,  New  York,  and  his  father  to 
Cayuga  County.  Emily's  mother  was  Ruth  Goodrich,  a 
descendant  of  the  Goodriches  of  Herefordshire.  Mr. 
Goodrich  came  from  England  in  1640  and  married  Sara 

*  Hammond  Genealogy,  Boston,  David  Clapp  and  Son,  Printers, 
1894. 


18  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Marvin  of  Wethersfield,  Conn.,  in  1648.  Glastonbury 
and  other  Connecticut  towns  appear  in  the  history,  but 
finally  Dutchess  County,  New  York,  is  reached  and  soon 
Cayuga  County  where  Euth  met  her  fate  and  marrying 
Ephraim  Hammond  became  the  mother  of  nine  sons  and 
daughters  of  whom  the  fifth  was  fair  Emily,  Winfield's 
bride  and  William  Scott's  mother. 

Mr.  Winfield  Ament  was  a  prosperous  business  man. 
After  his  marriage  he  remained  in  Owosso.  So  many 
came  from  a  distance  to  have  their  tools  mended  and  their 
horses  shod  that  he  was  obliged  to  build  and  conduct  a 
hotel  to  accommodate  them.  This  was  the  first  brick 
building  in  town,  and  with  an  added  story  is  still  the 
leading  hotel,  under  the  name  of  The  National  Hotel. 
He  added  a  stage  route  and  kept  many  horses  for  use  in 
carrying  the  United  States  mails  over  bridle  paths  and 
through  the  forests.  We  learn  that  William  Scott  was 
early  entrusted  with  responsibility,  driving  parties  to  a 
distance,  and  coming  back  alone,  proud  master  of  the 
team,  when  but  eleven  years  old.  The  vigor,  initiative  and 
cheerful  spirits  of  his  father  seem  to  have  been  inherited 
and  the  training  in  taking  responsibility  left  a  permanent 
mark  on  his  character.  A  story  is  told  of  him  when  he 
was  five  years  old.  His  elder  sister  Claribel  and  two 
cousins  with  the  child  were  allowed  one  day  to  go  with 
the  hired  man  for  some  hay.  Returning,  all  the  children 
were  seated  on  the  load.  Will  and  his  cousin  Addie  on 
the  sides  and  Claribel  and  the  baby  in  the  middle.  Go- 
ing down  Ashery  Hill,  the  horses  got  beyond  the  control 
of  the  careless  driver  and  the  children  began  slipping. 
They  clasped  hands  and  hung, — Will  on  one  side  and 
Addie  on  the  other — till  the  bottom  of  the  hill  was 
reached.  The  hill  sloped  down  to  an  Indian  camp  beside 
the  Shiawassee  River.  It  was  one  of  the  delights  of  the 
children  to  take  hold  of  hands  and  run  down  the  hill, 


.A 


ANCESTRY  AND  BOYHOOD  19 

trying  to  stop  suddenly  before  coming  in  sight  of  the  In- 
dians. A  drunken  Indian,  once,  chasing  them  to  the  top 
of  the  hill,  put  a  stop  to  the  game.  These  Indians,  who 
belonged  to  the  Chippewa  Nation,  camped  here  in  the 
summer  to  fish  and  sell  their  baskets.  In  the  winter  they 
went  back  to  their  villages  and  resumed  their  trade  of 
hunting.  Game  was  plenty — deer,  turkeys  and  some- 
times bears  driven  down  by  fires  in  the  northern  woods. 
At  a  little  store  in  Owosso  a  lively  trade  in  furs  was  car- 
ried on. 

Owosso,  ''This  Bright  Spot,''  on  the  ''Sparkling 
Water"  was  indeed  a  beautiful  place.  Every  where  the 
forest  was  unbroken.  Ere  long  a  little  schoolhouse  ap- 
peared, and  here  on  a  little  bench  William  began  his  let- 
ters, sitting  in  front.  No  studying  at  home  in  those  days, 
and  plenty  of  time  to  watch  the  Indian  boys  shooting  at 
a  mark  set  up  in  front  of  the  store  to  draw  their  trade. 

The  Congregational  church  was  the  first  one  built  in 
town.  Before  it  was  built,  William's  uncle,  Daniel 
Gould,  used  to  read  sermons  in  the  schoolhouse.  Thus, 
undoubtedly,  the  first  voice  heard  in  public  worship  was 
that  of  his  uncle,  in  the  schoolhouse  on  Washington  Street. 

Winfield  Ament  died  when  the  lad  was  only  fourteen. 
Henceforth  the  guidance  of  his  life  was  to  be  under  the 
influence  of  his  mother,  of  whom  he  was  glad  to  say,  "  I 
owe  all  I  am  to  my  mother's  prayers."  Congenial  na- 
tures and  later  common  responsibilities  aided  in  forming 
the  closest  and  most  affectionate  companionship  between 
mother  and  son.  As  Dr.  Wilder  has  fittingly  said  : 
' '  They  actually  lived  through  life  together.  She  followed 
every  movement  of  her  son  with  lively  interest  and  sup- 
ported him  with  her  sympathy  and  prayers." 

There  is  always  something  very  attractive  about  a 
strong  and  vigorous  boy,  whose  unconscious  life  overflows 
upon   his  fellows.     "Will"   Ament  was  such  a  boy, 


20  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

happy-hearted  beyond  the  measure  of  many.  His  bright 
blue  eyes  added  something  to  his  attractive  address.  He 
was  full  of  life  and  overflowing  energy.  One  of  his  early 
classmates  at  school  says  of  him  that  he  was  a  brave,  free- 
hearted boy,  whose  eyes  fairly  danced  with  fun  and  frolic, 
a  boy  among  boys,  who  could  run,  wrestle,  swim  and 
play  ball  with  the  best.  This  youthful  eagerness  in  sport 
never  failed  him  until  the  very  end.  The  kind  of  youth 
he  himself  was  is  perhaps  best  illustrated  in  his  desire  as 
respects  his  boys  in  the  school  at  Peking.  He  was  wont 
to  say,  *'  I  like  a  masterful  boy.  I  try  to  get  such  into 
my  schools.  They  are  ready  to  fight  and  make  trouble, 
but  that  is  the  kind  that  make  leaders  in  the  end." 
Having  been  from  youth  such  a  sort  of  leader,  kindly 
and  forceful  among  his  fellows,  he  naturally  sought  out 
such.  He  might  have  quoted  the  brilliant  Chinese  prov- 
erb, **  You  cannot  cut  a  bowl  out  of  punk  wood.'^  It 
was  the  verve  and  energy  of  an  inward  impulse  that 
made  his  boyhood  happy  and  strong. 

Many  a  mother,  with  unfailing  Christian  wisdom, 
is  led  almost  unconsciously  to  the  right  plan  of  molding 
the  thoughts  or  the  ways  of  a  lad.  When  Will  was  fif- 
teen years  old  he  planned  to  go  to  the  Lakes  as  a  sailor. 
The  nearness  to  Detroit  and  the  tales  of  the  lake  voyagers 
might  easily  lead  a  boy  to  such  a  thought.  When  he 
asked  his  mother  permission  to  go  she  replied :  "Yes, 
you  may  go"  ;  but  she  immediately  betook  herself  to  a 
whole  night  of  prayer  that  he  might  change  his  purpose. 
The  boy  knew  what  she  was  doing  and  never  again  men- 
tioned the  plan.  It  should  not  seem  strange  then  that 
under  such  careful  influence  the  ardent  boy  should  early 
be  led  to  consider  himself  a  Christian.  He  joined  the 
church  at  Owosso  when  he  was  twelve  years  old.  There 
is  both  a  safeguard  and  a  peril  in  such  early  assent  to  the 
traditions  of  family  and  social  life.    The  safeguard  is  in 


ANCESTEY  AND  BOYHOOD  21 

the  happy  restraint  which  naturally  follows  upon  the  fre- 
quent lawlessness  of  boys  and  men.  The  peril  is  in  later 
losing  the  high  purpose  aimed  at  in  the  daily  experience 
of  life.  The  peril  and  the  safeguard  were  alike  seen  in 
the  personal  history  of  William  Ament.  Like  many 
another  Christian  disciple  he  had  his  ups  and  downs. 
An  unfortunate  record  of  an  early  pastor  of  his  church 
cooled  the  ardor  of  the  young  disciple.  But  that  was 
not  for  long.  It  is  recorded  that  a  revival  of  religion 
came  to  the  home  church  when  William  was  about  four- 
teen years  of  age.  The  death  of  his  father  about  this 
time  may  have  added  to  the  serious  impression  made 
upon  him. 

The  serious  cast  to  his  deeper  thought  did  not  hinder 
the  onflowing  of  healthful  youth.  His  high  school  days 
were  full  of  the  joy  of  mental  and  physical  development. 
He  was  active  in  the  sports  of  the  day  and  was  second 
baseman  in  the  then  local  champion  team,  *' The  Blue 
Sox. ' '  One  of  his  younger  relatives  writes  of  that  period 
as  follows  :  ^*  I  used  to  be  one  of  the  regular  attachments 
of  the  club  in  those  days.  I  can  never  forget  just  how 
Will  appeared  on  the  baseball  diamond.  I  can  see  him, 
in  memory  this  minute,  and  can  feel  the  old  thrill  of 
those  days  when  he  stepped  up  to  the  plate  to  bat ;  can 
see  him  running  the  bases  and  hear  the  cheers  and  shouts 
as  he  made  the  usual  home  run.  He  was  called  '  Home 
run  Ament,'  I  presume  you  know,  because  he  would 
knock  the  ball  clear  over  into  the  corner  of  the  fair 
ground  fence  (or  over  it),  and  make  a  circuit  of  the  bases. 
The  impressions  of  those  scenes  will  be  fresh  in  memory 
if  I  live  a  hundred  years, — the  setting  in  the  fields  of  the 
fair  grounds,  with  the  big  trees  about  it.  I  have  never 
seen  a  baseball  game  in  later  years  that  I  do  not  recall 
the  scene,  and  invariably  as  a  part  of  it  is  Will  Ament. 
To  me  he  was  the  acme  of  everything  noble,  brave  and 


22  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

manly.     Since  I  was  a  little  boy  he  has  been  my  ideal  of 
aman.'^ 

It  may  well  be  believed  that  such  a  vigorous  youth 
might  the  more  naturally  be  on  the  outlook  for  something 
to  do  in  the  world.  Sport  and  muscular  development 
were  the  side  issue  even  then,  for  at  the  same  time  he 
was  impressed  deeply  and  earnestly  with  a  desire  to 
devote  his  life  to  the  highest  and  best  things.  Among 
the  influences  which  he  was  glad  to  acknowledge  was 
that  of  his  older  sister,  an  ardent  and  brilliant  girl, 
critical  in  her  judgments  and  tastes,  easily  the  zealous 
leader  of  the  younger  in  urging  him  on  to  the  high 
standard  she  had  set  for  herself.  In  all  these  things  the 
kindly  and  careful  mother  was  a  constant  help.  It  was 
fortunate  for  his  future  that  a  wise  and  thoughtful 
pastor,  the  Bev.  John  Patchin,  could  make  the  sugges- 
tion of  taking  the  higher  course  of  study  at  Oberlin  Col- 
lege. Having  taken  part  of  the  regular  course  in  the 
Owosso  High  School,  he  entered  upon  further  study  in 
the  Academy  at  Oberlin.  His  spiritual  experiences  and 
growth  under  the  favoring  influences  at  Oberlin  have  for 
us  a  special  interest.  Under  the  advice  of  his  pastor, 
William  Ament  took  with  him  a  letter  from  the  Owosso 
church,  but  he  did  not  feel  as  if  he  could  present  it,  and 
coming  under  some  peculiar  influences,  natural  to  an 
expanding  mind  at  such  a  period,  he  destroyed  the  letter. 
Later  he  received  a  new  and  deep  spiritual  impulse  and 
joined  the  Second  Church  at  Oberlin  on  profession  of  his 
faith.  From  that  time  on  he  was  hearty,  aggressive  and 
fearless  in  meeting  those  who  opposed  Christianity,  and 
made  the  service  of  Christ  the  chief  thing  of  life. 
His  religious  life  exhibited  the  open,  hearty,  buoyant 
qualities  of  after  years.  His  former  schoolmates  have 
many  memories  of  his  kindly  relation  to  them  on  his 
not  infrequent  vacations  from  college,  and  of  his  appeals 


ANCESTRY  AND  BOYHOOD  23 

to  them  to  give  their  lives  to  the  love  and  the  service  of 
Christ.     One  of  these  records  as  follows  : 

^'During  vacation  times  we  formed  a  very  pleasant 
acquaintance  and  I  believe  our  first  visit,  sitting  on  the 
top  rail  of  a  pasture  fence,  ended  in  an  earnest  exhor- 
tation to  me  to  become  a  clean  Christian  boy  and  man,  and 
what  he  tried  to  do  for  me  he  tried  to  do  for  all  the  boys.^' 

Another  of  the  old  friends  records  :  ' '  The  social  life 
of  Owosso  at  that  time  was  very  different  from  the 
present.  Then  everybody  knew  everybody  else  almost 
intimately,  since  the  community  was  so  small.  He  was 
the  second  boy  from  the  town  to  go  to  college,  and  the 
first  one  to  graduate,  hence  he  was  followed  by  the  con- 
stant esteem  and  emulation  of  the  village.'^ 

The  life  at  Oberlin  was  ardent  and  strenuous,  as  in  all 
our  colleges  of  the  period.  We  may  catch  a  glimpse  of 
that  life  in  its  early  years  in  the  following  from  Rev. 
Lyman  B.  Hall,  Professor  of  History  at  Oberlin  :  *'  I 
first  met  William  Ament  in  the  fall  of  1867,  when  he 
came  to  Oberlin  and  entered  the  Academy.  During  the 
two  years  of  his  academy  study  we  were  quite  intimate. 
He  was  fond  of  baseball,  and  the  acquaintance  begun 
there  was  developed  by  an  almost  constant  sitting  to- 
gether in  the  college  chapel.  Ament  was  one  of  the 
youngest  members  of  the  Academy,  and  was  rather  small 
for  his  age — he  was  sixteen — so  that  his  appearance  was 
eminently  boyish,  and  as  he  had  no  affectation  of  man- 
nish ways,  he  seemed  quite  a  child  to  me  at  first.  His 
bearing  was  thoroughly  manly  ;  not  the  least  suggestion 
of  the  spoiled  child  ;  but  he  was  so  frank,  so  merry,  so 
enthusiastic  in  his  sports,  so  bright  and  quick,  so  fond 
of  a  good  laugh,  that  I  was  quite  fascinated  with  the 
boy,  and  in  spite  of  my  rank  as  a  freshman,  made  him 
quite  my  chum  for  the  two  years  of  his  stay  in  the 
Academy.  ^^ 


This  is  my  youth, — its  hopes  and  dreams, 
How  strange  and  shadowy  it  all  seems, 

After  these  many  years. 
Turning  the  pages  idly  so, 
I  look  with  smiles  upon  the  woe. 

Upon  the  joy  with  tears. 

—Aldrick. 


II 

COLLEGE  AND  SEMINARY  LIFE 

WILLIAM  AMENT  entered  Oberlin  College 
with  the  class  of  1873.  The  Oberlin  of  his 
day  was  still  under  the  influence  of  Finney, 
Morgan  and  Cowles.  It  was  often  an  education  merely 
to  hear  Dr.  Finney  once,  so  tremendous  was  the  urgency 
of  his  special  form  of  Christian  effort  and  moral  impulse. 
How  much  more  then,  the  impress  of  such  a  life  continued 
through  the  molding  years  of  college  life,  plastic  to  the 
touch  of  a  noble  spirit,  one  whom  the  world  admires  and 
honors.  Dr.  Finney's  power  in  prayer  and  public  ad- 
dress was  always  insistent,  and  his  quaint  originality 
added  to  his  influence  on  young  men  and  women. 
Oberlin  as  a  storm  centre  of  deep  spiritual  experiences 
was  influenced  further  by  the  profound  ardor  of  Professor 
Morgan,  who  sought  for  his  pupils  the  spirit  of  true 
holiness.  His  sweetly  spiritual  nature  was  less  aggressive 
than  that  of  Dr.  Finney.  His  humility  may  have  sug- 
gested a  hesitating  character  in  contrast  to  that  of  Presi- 
dent Finney.  We  are  assured  that  Dr.  Finney  more 
often  presented  God  as  a  Lawgiver,  though  not  always. 
Professor  Morgan  spoke  of  Him  as  a  Loving  Father. 
Dr.  Fairchild  wrote  of  Professor  Morgan  as  follows : 
^'The  influence  of  Professor  Morgan  in  the  enterprise 
was  conservative  in  the  best  sense,  not  by  reason  of  any 
inertia  or  immobility  of  nature.  His  enthusiasm,  in  any 
well  considered  movement,  was  always  prompt,  but  his 

24 


COLLEGE  AND  SEMINARY  LIFE  25 

breadth  of  nature  and  thought  and  knowledge  gave  him 
a  view  of  all  sides  of  every  question,  and  he  could  not 
accept  or  hold  an  extreme  position  or  enjoy  any  extreme 
action.  He  could  patiently  tolerate  the  extravagances  of 
others  because  of  his  kindliness  and  hopefulness.  Prob- 
ably no  one  among  the  many  instructors  who  have  been 
at  Oberlin  has  held  a  larger  place  in  the  hearts  of  all.'^ 
Dr.  Morgan's  house  was  Will  Ament's  home  during  his 
senior  year. 

During  his  Academy  days,  however,  he  boarded  with 
one  of  the  leaders  of  the  small  and  diminishing  group  of 
**  perfectionists."  It  was  this  leader  who  at  one  time 
called  upon  Dr.  Morgan  and  told  him  that  they  were 
concerned  for  his  soul.  "With  characteristic  humility  he 
invited  them  to  kneel  and  pray  for  him.  Of  these  per- 
fectionists William  Ament  would  have  known  little  had 
he  not  boarded  among  them.  They  made  quite  an  im- 
pression upon  him  but  he  never  adopted  their  views. 
We  shall  read  later  Dr.  Morgan's  estimate  of  the  student 
Ament.  Here  it  will  be  sufficient  to  note  his  writing ; 
*'  He  is  very  young  and  immature.  He  is  apt  to  dabble 
in  all  sorts  of  speculations  and  the  writings  of  sceptics  are 
apt  to  get  a  hold  of  his  mind. ' '  What  would  those  sainted 
enthusiasts  think  could  they  now  return  to  the  flesh  and 
sit  in  the  class  rooms  of  the  present  guides  of  Oberlin  in 
Philosophy  and  Christian  Reconstruction  ! 

William  Ament  bore  the  stamp  of  those  days  of  mold- 
ing influence,  whatever  may  have  been  his  variance  in 
after  years  from  the  high  doctrines  of  the  Oberlin  leaders. 

Henceforth  he  was  to  voice,  through  all  his  effort  and 
ardency  of  work,  the  note  of  unalloyed  interest  in  every 
form  of  evangelism.  This  it  was  that  turned  his  thoughts 
towards  mission  life,  and  this  it  was  which  will  mark  the 
happy  years  of  his  life  service.  Many  a  college  man  has 
said  and  many  more  have  thought :  '  ^  I  have  no  doubt 


26  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

forgotten  all  I  ever  learned  from  books,  bnt  the  noble  men 
who  were  my  teachers  have  left  their  impress,  and  I  shall 
never  forget  my  large  debt  to  them."  Thus  it  is  that  the 
training  of  college  life  becomes  unconsciously  as  well  as 
consciously  an  elevating  and  educating  force.  And  he 
who  strives  to  secure  that  which  is  best  in  the  training  of 
those  days  finds  his  personal  powers  alert  and  ready  for 
the  wider  experience  in  life  towards  which  all  that  train- 
ing should  fitly  tend.  Life  begets  life,  scholarship  be- 
gets scholarship,  moral  purpose  becomes  contagious, 
spiritual  elevation  leads  on  to  new  emulation,  and  the 
awakened  and  energetic  student  follows  perhaps  with 
greater  ardency  the  leadership  of  those  worthy  to  be  such 
friends  and  leaders. 

''  The  Oberlin  of  those  college  years,"  writes  his  friend, 
Eev.  J.  Cromer,  in  the  Envelope  Series,  ''contained  a 
small  number  of  'Holiness  Propagandists,'  among  whom 
Ament  walked  like  the  sane  Christian  man  he  always 
was.  He  did  not  avoid  them.  He  went  at  times  into 
their  meetings.  He  did  not  denounce  them  nor  contend 
much  with  them.  However,  his  views  of  the  Christian 
life  were  different  from  theirs.  It  showed  itself  in  deeds 
more  than  in  professions  of  exceptional  esoteric  expe- 
riences. A  classmate  tells  of  how,  returning  from  the 
winter  months'  work  at  teaching  school,  Ament  related 
with  joy  the  coming  of  a  revival  of  religion  to  that  little 
community,  and  how  one  and  another  had  been  converted 
to  Christ." 

The  life  of  any  college  student  during  the  decade  of 
Ament' s  student  life  was  much  the  same.  The  courses  in 
the  classical  and  literary  departments  were  prescribed. 
There  was  no  effort  at  specialization,  or,  if  there  were,  it 
was  confined  to  the  few.  The  year  of  study  was  divided 
so  that  the  students  could  have  a  vacation  in  the  winter, 
enabling  them  to  teach  for  three  months.     Many  of  the 


COLLEGE  AND  SEMINARY  LIFE  27 

men  and  women  availed  themselves  of  this  privilege. 
William  Ament  acknowledged  that  he  liked  sports  and 
athletics  more  than  study.  But  such  a  remark  is 
often  made  in  a  mild  depreciation  of  one's  own  diligent 
effort  in  the  monotony  of  prolonged  studies.  One  may 
judge  that  this  was  eminently  true  with  him.  He  had 
a  fine  record  of  scholarship  and  stood  well  with  his  class 
and  the  College.  There  came  a  time  when  his  mental 
awakening  received  a  distinct  impulse  and  he  became  an 
ardent  and  successful  seeker  after  true  learning.  The 
natural  vigor  and  enthusiasm  of  his  personality  easily  led 
him  to  make  much  of  an  ideal.  The  writer  was  once 
greatly  interested  in  his  criticism  of  an  author,  *'  He  has 
no  imagination,  and  gives  one  no  chance  for  the  play  of 
a  larger  interest. ' ' 

The  capacity  of  throwing  into  his  studies  an  imagina- 
tive element  enhanced  all  of  his  disciplinary  effort.  ^'  He 
had  an  enormous  appetite  for  books  and  being  left  in 
care  of  one  of  the  professor's  houses  one  summer,  devoured 
most  of  the  books  in  the  library,  especially  the  British 
poets  and  essayists.  Carlyle  was  his  favorite."  He 
once  explained  his  mental  awakening  in  the  direction  of 
literature  to  the  writer,  ''  It  was  in  reading  the  essays  of 
Montaigne  that  my  mind  was  really  aroused  to  the  value 
of  deep  thinking  and  skillful  expression.'^  Those  who 
afterwards  noticed  the  easy  affluence  of  his  later  public 
speech,  whether  in  English  or  Chinese,  might  have  traced 
it  to  this  early  enthusiasm  for  the  best  of  literature. 
DuriDg  these  college  years  he  took  an  interest  in  the  lit- 
erary societies.  He  was  an  active  member  of  the  Phi 
Kappa  Pi,  and  especially  enjoyed  the  debates  in  this  open 
literary  society. 

An  essential  part  of  his  college  life  was  personal  en- 
gagement in  Christian  work  for  others.  He  joined  with 
many  others  in  going  out  to  the  near-by  villages  and 


28  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

*^  corners,  ^^  teaching  in  the  Sunday-schools  and  conduct- 
ing religious  services.  Of  him  Mr.  Cromer  says,  ' '  Ament 
never  came  into  personal  relations  with  another  without 
commending  the  Christ  whom  he  thus  early  loved  and 
served.  And  all  this  was  perfectly  natural  and  never 
savored  of  religious  cant  or  pretense.  The  gift  and 
faculty  for  what  we  call  in  stereotype  phrase,  '  The  doing 
of  personal  work  for  Christ,^  was  his  in  a  marked  de- 
gree.'^ Like  many  another  such  youth  in  like  service  it 
was  a  source  of  joy  to  him  to  have  an  opportunity  of 
influence.  The  title  of  his  oration  delivered  at  the  Junior 
Exhibition  of  his  class  was  *' Joyousness,'^  a  subject 
which  he  amply  illustrated. 

With  these  few  sketches  of  his  college  career  we  pass 
on  to  the  widening  life  awaiting  him.  He  had  made  a 
good  record  j  a  good  scholar,  esteemed  by  his  fellow  stu- 
dents and  teachers,  an  earnest,  warm-hearted  Christian, 
an  enthusiastic  worker,  a  charming  friend  easily  cooper- 
ating with  others  in  sport,  in  study,  in  Christian  effort. 
To  such  an  one  the  values  of  life  are  wont  to  be  rich  and 
full. 

His  first  opportunity  in  further  development  came,  as 
was  most  natural  and  fitting,  in  the  line  of  teaching  for  a 
year.  He  became  principal  of  the  school  at  Eichfield, 
Summit  Co.,  Ohio.  It  is  a  real  delight  to  any  young 
man  to  feel  the  responsibility  of  taking  care  of  himself. 
It  is  true  that  this  was  not  the  first  experience  in  that 
line.  One  of  his  early  friends  tells  us  that  his  courageous 
spirit  made  it  possible  for  him  to  work  his  way  through 
college.  He  told  this  friend  that  he  often  went  back  to 
college  with  only  money  enough  to  pay  his  fare  and  get 
settled.  The  rest  he  must  earn  himself.  At  Eichfield 
Center  he  encountered  a  sceptical  atmosphere  and  beyond 
his  duties  as  a  teacher  he  dealt  some  earnest  blows  at  the 
enemies  of  religion.     He  called  upon  President  Fairchild 


COLLEGE  AND  SEMINARY  LIFE  29 

himself  for  suggestion  and  encouragement,  which  he  re- 
ceived in  a  fatherly  letter. 

We  are  not  let  in,  directly,  to  the  secret  of  William 
Ament's  decision  to  enter  the  ministry.  No  doubt  his 
life  at  OberKn  was  tending  in  that  direction.  Loyalty  to 
the  blessed  Master,  and  pleasure  in  helping  his  fellows 
might  point  in  that  direction.  One  of  his  boyhood  friends 
says  of  him,  *'He  had  a  wonderful  constructive  imagina- 
tion.'^ It  was  easy  for  such  friends  to  expect  he  would 
become  an  effective  worker  for  Christ,  so  it  may  have 
been  easy  for  him  to  decide  what  his  life-work  was  to  be. 
Undoubtedly  the  influence  of  his  mother,  her  ideal  for 
him  not  expressed  in  tangible  form,  may  have  been  one 
of  the  underlying  influences.  It  was  at  last  in  full  con- 
sultation with  her  that  he  decided  to  study  for  the 
ministry.  The  Union  Theological  Seminary  was  his 
choice.  The  opportunity  of  sustaining  himself  there 
while  studying  was  a  deciding  element.  A  crisis  in  the 
family  afi'airs  required  all  available  funds,  and  his  sum- 
mer earnings  went  to  leave  the  dear  mother  in  a  comfort- 
able condition.  He  therefore  arrived  in  New  York  with 
but  a  trifle  in  his  purse.  He  put  himself  at  once  in  touch 
with  a  Teacher's  Agency  in  the  city  and  secured  teaching 
in  the  evenings.  Ere  long  he  was  able  to  find  more 
valuable  work.  Through  the  /'  Agency  "  of  Miss  Young 
he  became  tutor  to  the  son  of  a  rich  family,  and  was  able 
to  make  his  way  comfortably.  Through  Miss  Young  he 
became  acquainted  with  Miss  M.  G.  Shirmer,  ever  after 
his  devoted  friend  and  admirer.  We  shall  see  from  his 
occasional  letters  to  her  how  deeply  he  felt  indebted  to 
her  for  help  and  suggestion.  Such  letters  will  give  us 
insights  into  his  growing  purpose,  his  character  and 
work. 

On  Sundays,  he  took  charge  of  a  class  in  the  mission 
school  at  Elizabeth  and  Broome  Streets,  following  the 


30  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

boys  who  were  members  of  the  class  with  loving  interest 
for  many  years.  He  rejoiced  that  some  of  them  "  made 
good."  He  was  ready  also  to  extend  the  hand  to  one 
who  came  to  call  on  him  when  he  was  once  at  home  on 
furlough,  though  he  was  gloriously  drunk  when  he  came 
in.  Once  a  friend,  once  an  object  of  affection,  always  a 
friend  whom  he  was  ready  to  help  in  any  way  possible. 
How  marked  this  characteristic  became,  his  colleagues  in 
China  had  abundant  reason  to  learn. 

We  have  a  brief  word  from  Professor  Hall,  regarding 
this  period  in  his  student  life.  ' '  I  met  Ament,  next,  in  the 
winter  of  1874-1875,  in  New  York  City,  when  both  of  us 
were  students  in  Union  Theological  Seminary.  As  I 
had  followed  his  subsequent  brilliant  career  in  China, 
nothing  seems  to  surprise  me.  He  has  always  seemed 
to  me  the  same  character  I  knew  as  a  boy  of  fifteen. 
The  same  enthusiasm,  the  same  love  of  justice,  the  same 
courage  in  championing  every  worthy  cause,  the  same 
sympathy  with  suffering  and  misfortune,  the  same 
promptness  of  decision  and  action,  the  same  readiness  to 
take  necessary  responsibility,  the  same  generous,  knightly 
temper,  which  have  marked  his  devotion  and  fruitful 
service  in  China,  have  always  seemed  to  me  to  have  char- 
acterized the  boy  I  knew  in  the  Academy,  and  the  man 
who  sought  to  encourage  and  comfort  me  in  the  Semi- 
nary.'' 

The  sev^ond  year  of  theological  study  was  also  spent  at 
Union  Theological  Seminary.  No  doubt  to  him  as  to  so 
many  others  it  was  an  exhilarating  year  in  the  deeper 
studies  essential  to  the  course,  and  the  increasing  near- 
ness to  the  time  of  wider  service.  Such  approach  enjoins 
progressive  effort  in  self- culture  and  he  used  these  to  the 
best  advantage.  Miss  M.  G.  Schirmer  gives  a  brief  but 
brilliant  picture  of  the  ardent  student  in  a  recent  personal 
letter  to  IMrs.  Ament:  **When  I  go  back  to  thirty-five 


COLLEGE  AND  SEMINARY  LIFE  31 

years  ago  and  remember  the  happy  hours  he  spent  in  my 
home  among  such  lovely  Christian  people — how  he 
bounded  into  my  room  saying,  '  I  have  worked  so  many 
hours  and  now  I  am  as  hungry  as  a  wolf,' — I  can  see  my 
dear  old  Jane  bringing  in  a  tray  with  somethiug  nice,  and  I 
can  see  him,  always  cheerful  and  grateful  for  the  smallest 
kindness.  Those  were  happy  days  and  evenings — when  I 
went  over  to  the  Theological  Seminary  with  a  basket  full 
of  sandwiches,  cakes,  fruit  and  lemon  juice  sweetened,  all 
ready  to  pour  into  a  pailful  of  water,  to  enjoy  with  fifteen 
or  twenty  young  men  coming  in  for  a  share  of  the  good 
things  J  when  stories  were  told  and  jokes  made  as  the 
evening  was  passing,  when  beautiful  prayers  were  offered 
and  dear  familiar  hymns  were  sung,  and  the  young  men 
would  see  us  home — those  were  happy  days  and  never  to 
be  forgotten.  Your  husband  always  had  a  key  to  the 
front  door,  and  the  freedom  of  my  rooms  where  he  could 
read,  write,  or  always  find  a  welcome  to  any  meal  he 
wished  to  stay  for.  I  loved  him  as  a  younger  brother  and 
can  never  forget  when  he  preached  my  mother's  funeral 
sermon — how  tenderly  he  spoke  of  my  love  and  care  for 
her  in  the  days  of  her  illness  in  April,  1876.  May  his  son 
know  what  his  father  meant  by  true  friendship,  and  how 
lasting  ours  was.'' 

The  senior  year  of  seminary  study  finds  Mr.  Ament 
trausferred  to  Andover  Seminary.  There  were  no  doubt 
times  when  the  teaching  at  Union  went  steadily  against 
the  grain  of  any  free  man,  such  as  the  Oberlin  students 
were  apt  to  be.  He  joined  the  class  of  1877.  There  were 
twenty-four  members  in  the  regular  course  and  four  or 
five  resident  graduates.  Of  these  four  are  widely  known 
missionaries  of  the  American  Board  in  Turkey,  Japan 
and  China  ;  three  have  become  teachers  in  our  theological 
seminaries,  and  others  successful  and  beloved  pastors  and 
leaders.     The  class  secretary  is  the  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  T. 


32  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Kidder,  formerly  of  Wisconsin,  and  now  pastor  of  the 
Congregational  church  at  McGregor,  Iowa.  The  follow- 
ing paragraph  gives  a  brief  picture  of  Ament  at  Andover. 

^'  I  met  Dr.  Ament  first  on  going  to  Andover  in  1876 
for  a  third  seminary  year.  My  first  impression  was  of  a 
boyish,  happy-faced  classmate,  quick  moving  and  of 
athletic  build,  who  revealed  none  of  the  conventional 
qualities  of  the  theologue,  or  the  missionary  volunteer 
which  I  heard  he  was.  He  had  the  brisk  air  of  a  genial 
young  business  man.  I  was  not  then  aware  that  he  gave 
promise  of  greatness,  though  he  was  a  ready  student,  of 
easy  manner,  on  hand  for  any  tramp  afoot  or  any  baseball 
or  football  game  with  the  Phillips  '  Cads.^  The  year 
ran  swiftly.  I  soon  knew  that  he  was  deeper  than  the 
surface  and  warm  of  heart,  that  his  bodily  briskness  and 
vigor  symbolized  alertness  of  mind  and  robustness  of 
soul  that  were  worth  knowing.  He  said  little  of  him- 
self, but  his  words  and  prayers  in  the  devotional  meet- 
ings of  the  class  and  the  Seminary  were  tersely  and  prac- 
tically to  the  point.  Somehow,  without  his  telling,  we 
knew  that  China  was  on  his  heart  and  he  was  eager  to 
weigh  anchor  for  the  scene  of  his  destiny.'^ 

Mr.  Ament' s  formal  application  for  appointment  as  a 
missionary  seems  not  to  have  been  made  till  the  late 
autumn  of  his  senior  year  at  the  Seminary,  although  he 
had  had  correspondence  with  the  secretaries  for  more 
than  a  year.  His  letter  of  application  is  full  of  personal 
interest. 

Andover,  Nov.  4,  iB^d. 
Rev.  N.  G.  Clark,  D.  D. 

Dear  Sir  : — Desiring  to  act  as  a  missionary  under  the 
auspices  of  the  American  Board,  I  hereby  present  my  applica- 
tion for  appointment  with  the  following  statement : 

My  purpose  to  preach  and  later  to  be  a  missionary  has  been 
the  result  of  a  gradual  growth.     I  have  no  visions  or  special 


COLLEGE  AND  SEMINARY  LIFE  33 

revelations  on  this  subject,  but  a  deepening  and  ever  increasing 
conviction  that  my  duty  pointed  in  that  direction.  I  have  no 
inclination  to  shirk  the  work  to  which  Providence  has  directed 
me,  but  rather  rejoice  that  such  a  high  privilege  could  be  mine. 
From  a  contemplation  of  the  various  fields,  my  own  adaptations 
and  inclinations,  I  have  come  to  desire  the  missionary  work 
above  all  others.  To  help  me  in  that  work,  1  have  a  strong 
physical  frame,  in  perfect  health,  and  with  no  hereditary  or 
acquired  disease.  I  am  engaged  to  a  young  lady  who  sympa- 
thizes with  me  most  fully  in  my  missionary  aspirations,  and 
has  been  consecrated  to  the  work  from  infancy.  My  mother, 
my  only  near  relative  left  to  me,  possesses  sufficient  property  to 
free  her  from  all  dependence  on  me.  I  am  confident  that  my 
desire  to  be  a  missionary  is  the  result  of  no  ephemeral  emotion. 
I  propose  to  do  my  life-work,  to  consecrate  to  it  all  my  energies 
and  to  do  my  best.  Difficulties  do  not  appall  me,  for  I  rest 
assured  that  as  my  day  is  so  my  strength  shall  be.  Obstacles 
greater  than  I  shall  encounter  have  been  overcome  by  earnest 
men. 

I  accept  the  doctrines  as  generally  held  by  the  Congregational 
churches  of  the  land.  I  should  place  as  central  and  most  im- 
portant the  doctrine  of  the  Deity  of  Christ.  If  He  be  not  God, 
the  Bible  is  false,  and  Christianity  is  a  huge  delusion.  As  the 
God-man  Christ  alone  possesses  sufficient  dignity  and  worth 
of  character,  such  as  by  the  sacrifice  of  Himself  would  make  it 
safe  for  the  Father  to  forgive  guilty  sinners.  I  would  preach 
much  concerning  the  Love  of  God  as  revealed  in  His  glorious 
redemptive  plan.  I  hold  firmly  to  the  Congregational  form  of 
church;  government  and  can  recognize  any  man  as  a  minister 
of  Christ  who  has  been  regularly  ordained  to  the  work  and  is 
faithful  to  his  trust. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Board 
to  which  I  could  object  and  can  discover  nothing  in  its 
methods  which  would  prevent  me  from  working  cheerfully 
in  conformity  with  them. 

Yours  respectfully, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

A  few  credentials,  as  testimonials  to  an  estimate  of  his 
cbaracter,  from  his  early  instructors,  are  full  of  interest. 

Dr.  William  Adams,  President  of  Union  Seminary, 
writes  :  ''He  has  impressed  me  as  more  than  commonly 


34  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

alert,  frank,  ingenuous,  earnest  and  faithful.  His 
manners  are  prepossessing  and  I  know  lie  has  the  con- 
fidence and  affection  of  Christian  people  in  the  city.'' 

Professor  Morgan,  of  Oberlin,  wrote  :  ' '  He  is  full  of 
ardor  and  industry,  has  a  bright  active  mind  and  is  not 
afraid  of  work." 

President  Fairchild  wrote:  *'I  regard  him  as  an 
earnest,  warm-hearted  Christian,  an  enthusiastic  worker, 
a  good  scholar,  and  safe  in  temper  and  nerves." 

The  following  letter  from  Dr.  Lindley,  the  widely 
known  missionary  to  South  Africa,  will  be  read  with  un- 
alloyed interest. 

New  Canaatty  CV.,  Sept.  28,  18/6. 
Rev.  S.  B.  Treat, 

Boston,  Mass. 
Dear  Brother  : — You  ask  me  for  my  impression  of 
Mr.  Ament  who  is  now  a  student  at  Andover.  I  heard  him 
preach  once,  and  was  a  guest  at  his  mother's  house  for  nearly 
three  days.  For  good  sense  and  solid  piety  his  mother  is  much 
more  than  a  common  woman.  I  think  her  son  is  more  than  a 
common  young  man.  His  sermon  was  doubtless  his  own  pro- 
duction, and  was  both  in  thought  and  style  highly  respectable. 
He  has  fine  abilities.  I  noticed  that  he  was  much  respected  by 
persons  of  all  ages  in  his  native  place,  and  was  pleased  to  see 
an  easy  freedom  with  which  he  could  and  did  address  many  of 
his  acquaintances  among  the  young  people  in  regard  to  their 
spiritual  interests.  I  think  he  has  a  large  share  of  sanctified 
common  sense  and  would  readily  adapt  himself  to  the  various 
circumstances  into  which  he  might  come  as  a  missionary. 
There  is  much  go-ahead  in  him  and  on  occasions  in  which 
cautious  deHberation  would  be  needed  he  might  possibly  de- 
cide too  quickly.  While  I  say  this,  I  have  great  confidence  in 
the  soundness  of  his  judgment.  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that 
he  should  be  sent,  if  he  wishes  to  go  on  a  foreign  mission.  If 
not  mistaken  in  my  opinion  of  him,  he  is  amiable  and  will 
work  in  harmony  with  others.  The  more  I  saw  of  him  during 
the  three  days  I  was  with  him  the  more  I  liked  him. 

Fraternally  yours, 

D.  Lindley, 


W.  S.  AMENT,  1877  MARY  P.  AMENT,  1877 

OWOSSO  CHURCH,  WHERE  AMENT 

WAS  ORDAINED 


COLLEGE  AND  SEMINARY  LIFE  35 

The  spring  vacation  in  those  days  was  still  somewhat 
extended,  allowing  students  the  privilege  of  finding  some 
active  preaching  work,  thus  materially  aiding  them  in 
the  expenses  of  the  year.  Mr.  Ament  used  his  senior 
vacation  in  visiting  his  home  and  in  making  fit  arrange- 
ments for  his  early  entrance  upon  his  chosen  work. 

A  letter  to  his  New  York  friend,  Miss  Schirmer,  the 
first  in  a  long  series  that  will  interest  us,  tells  of  future 
plans :  "  On  my  arrival  at  home,  after  embracing  my 
dear  old  mother,  the  first  topic  of  conversation  concerned 
my  missionary  plans.  To  my  surprise  and  delight,  my 
mother  warmly  commended  my  plans  and  advised  me  to 
go  this  fall.  She  says  it  is  my  life-work  and  the  sooner 
I  begin  it  the  more  I  can  accomplish.  I  have  determined 
to  depart  in  September." 

Mr.  Ament  graduated  from  Andover  in  the  early 
summer  and  returned  at  once  to  his  mother's  home  to 
complete  his  preparation  for  service  abroad.  He  writes 
to  Secretary  Clark  from  Owosso,  August  7th  : 

''Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pierson  spent  last  Sabbath  with  us. 
He  preached  in  the  Congregational  church  in  the  morn- 
ing and  in  the  evening  we  had  a  large  union  service. 
Popular  opinion  on  the  subject  of  foreign  missions  is 
rapidly  changing  in  Owosso.  My  mother  is  far  more 
cheerful  in  view  of  my  departure  than  I  ever  dared  to 
expect.  She  astonishes  us  all  with  her  serenity."  Mr. 
Pierson,  on  furlough  since  early  in  1876,  was  returning 
to  Pao  Ting  Fu,  with  his  charming  wife,  formerly  Miss 
Sarah  Dyer. 

On  the  23d  of  August  Mr.  Ament  was  married,  at 
Cleveland,  to  Mary  Alice  Penfield,  daughter  of  Professor 
Penfield,  who  had  long  held  the  professorship  of  Greek 
and  Latin  at  Oberlin.  He  now  lived  in  Cleveland. 
Professor  Penfield  was  a  stepson  of  Prof.  Henry  Cowles. 
He  had  married  Miss  Wyett,  daughter  of  an  English 


36  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

gentleman.  Of  this  mother  there  were  a  son  and  two 
daughters,  Miss  Mary  being  the  younger.  A  maternal 
aunt,  Miss  A.  M.  Wyett,  was  for  many  years  the  teacher 
in  painting  and  drawing  at  Oberlin  College.  Some  years 
after  the  death  of  Mary's  mother,  Professor  Penfield  had 
married  again  and  a  third  daughter  was  added  to  his 
family. 

The  ordination  of  Mr.  Ament  to  the  ministry  and  his 
dedication  to  missionary  service  was  appointed  for  the 
5th  of  September.  To  the  people  of  Owosso  and  to  the 
churches  of  Michigan,  the  setting  apart  of  one  so  well 
known  and  admired,  locally,  might  fittingly  be  called  a 
great  occasion.  The  pastor  of  the  church  was  Eev. 
L.  O.  Lee,  who  later  became  a  missionary  to  Central 
Turkey.  The  following  newspaper  clipping  preserved 
by  Mrs.  Stewart,  of  Owosso,  teUs  the  story  :  '^  The  ordi- 
nation of  William  S.  Ament  as  a  missionary  took  place 
last  Wednesday  evening.  The  candidate  passed  a  most 
creditable  examination  before  an  able  council.  The 
evening  exercises  were  most  interesting.  The  church 
was  filled  to  overflowing,  owing  to  the  fact  that  Mr. 
Ament  was  brought  up  in  Owosso  and  is  universally 
esteemed  as  a  young  man  of  great  promise  for  his  chosen 
field  of  labor. ' '  Thus  it  was  with  a  high  sense  of  duty  and 
with  glad  fexpectation  of  useful  service  that  these  young 
people  began  their  journey  with  joy  in  their  hearts. 

From  Oakland,  Mr.  Ament  writes  to  his  friend  Miss 
Schirmer:  *'We  sail  October  17th.  Our  steamer  is  the 
China.  I  am  favorably  impressed  with  the  Chinese 
whom  we  daily  see.  I  await  with  impatience  the  study 
of  the  language  that  I  may  make  known  the  riches  of  the 
Gospel.  My  mother  seems  to  have  grown  in  cheerfulness 
and  serenity.'' 


Is  there  some  desert  or  some  pathless  sea 
Where  Thou,  good  God  of  angels,  wilt  send  me  ? 
Some  oak  for  me  to  rend ;  some  sod, 
Some  rock  for  me  to  break ; 
Some  handful  of  His  corn  to  take 
And  scatter  far  afield. 
Till  it,  in  turn,  shall  yield 
Its  hundred  fold 
Of  grains  of  gold 
To  feed  the  waiting  children  of  my  God? 
Show  me  the  desert.  Father,  or  the  sea. 
Is  it  Thine  enterprise  ?    Great  God,  send  me. 

— ^\  £.  Hale, 

in 

LIFE  AT  PAO  TING  FU 

PAO  TING  FU  was  adopted  as  a  station  of  the 
North  China  Mission  in  the  spring  of  1873,  at  the 
annual  meeting  held  in  Peking.  It  was  especially 
attractive  as  a  possible  place  of  interior  residence.  It 
was  the  provincial  capital  and  all  the  provincial  ofBcers 
were  located  there,  though  the  governor,  as  Viceroy  of 
Chihli,  selected  Tientsin  for  his  main  residence,  spending 
only  the  winter  months  at  Pao  Ting  Fu. 

Eev.  Isaac  Pierson  and  Dr.  A.  O.  Treat,  stationed  at  Yii 
Chou  in  the  mountains,  felt  their  isolation  and  en  route 
to  Peking  visited  Pao  Ting  Fu.  Their  report  was  favor- 
able  and  the  mission  easily  acceded  to  their  request  to  be 
appointed  to  the  new  charge.  Their  coming  attracted 
much  attention.  They  were  kindly  received  and  found 
some  friends.  One  incident  is  full  of  special  interest. 
Eev.  W.  0.  Burns,  the  missionary  of  the  Irish  Presby- 
terian Church,  the  well-known  translator  of  the  ''Pil- 
grim's Progress '^  into  the  Mandarin  speech,  had  passed 
through  the  city  in  his  evangelistic  tours  south  of  Peking. 
He  had  visited  a  village  fifty  miles  south  of  Pao  Ting  Fu, 
had  taught  a  few  men  and  women  the  gospel  story. 
Among  these  was  a  Mr.  Meng,  a  reading  man,  though 

37 


38  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

not  a  graduate.  Some  years  later,  Mr.  Meng  and  two  of 
his  companions  started  out  for  Peking  to  find  Mr.  Burns. 
On  the  streets  at  Pao  Ting  Fu  they  saw  the  two  foreign- 
ers and  followed  them  to  their  inn.  Mr.  Pierson  re- 
ceived them  very  kindly,  told  them  that  Mr.  Burns  was 
no  longer  living  and  invited  them  to  come  to  them  when 
they  located  in  the  city.  Immediately  after  the  mission 
meeting  Mr.  Pierson  and  Dr.  Treat  returned  to  Pao  Ting 
Fu.  They  succeeded  in  renting  an  inn  where  they  had 
chanced  to  stay  and  which  ere  long  became  the  centre  for 
Christian  work.  The  inn  was  in  T'ang  Chia  Lane,  in 
the  southwest  portion  of  the  city.  The  premises  were  of 
narrow,  oblong  shape,  with  a  width  of  three  shop  fronts. 
On  the  right  of  the  gateway  was  a  native  shop,  on  the 
left  a  room  soon  fitted  up  for  a  preaching  chapel.  In  the 
rear  of  the  shop  were  two  considerable  courts  with  door- 
ways opening  upon  the  cart  way.  The  two  small  courts 
became  the  mission  home  for  some  years,  while  small 
rooms  of  the  inn  sufficed  for  rooms  for  helpers  and  serv- 
ants. The  work  of  the  station  slowly  developed  in  this 
compact  little  inn.  For  two  years  Mr.  Pierson  carried 
on  the  work  much  alone,  since  Dr.  Treat  returned  to  the 
United  States  in  1874.  For  another  two  years  during 
Mr.  Pierson' s  furlough,  the  writer  carried  on  the  medical 
and  evangelistic  work.  Mr.  Meng  and  two  companions 
were  early  received  as  members,  the  former  proving  a 
most  valuable  adviser  and  helper  through  many  years  of 
service  until  his  death.  In  the  autumn  of  1876,  he  sent 
his  son  and  another  lad  to  the  boys'  school  at  Tung- 
chow.  The  former  after  eight  years  of  study  entered  the 
ministry,  became  the  first  native  pastor  of  the  Pao  Ting 
Fu  church  and  a  proto-martyr  of  blessed  memory.  The 
second  lad  returned  from  school  to  be  Dr.  Peck's  pupil  in 
medicine  and  later  his  chief  medical  assistant  both  at  Pao 
Ting  Fu  and  at  P'ang  Chuang.     At  present  he  is  in 


LIFE  AT  PAO  TING  FU  39 

charge  of  a  sanitary  department  of  the  government  in 
Peking.  The  autumn  of  1877  was  made  busy  and  pleas- 
urable in  preparing  for  the  return  of  Mr.  Pierson,  with 
his  wife  and  sister,  and  for  the  new  recruits,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  W.  S.  Ament. 

The  following  letter  will  fitly  begin  the  story  of  long 
service  in  China. 

To  N.  G.  Clark,  Secretary. 

Dear  Dr.  Clark  : — Pao  Ting  Fu  has  been  our  home 
for  two  weeks.  I  am  rejoiced  to  reach  home  after  eleven 
weeks  of  travel.  Our  voyage  to  Japan  occupied  twenty-seven 
days  of  most  delightful  sailing.  Good  friends  welcomed  us  all 
along  the  way.  Our  progress  was  uninterrupted  until  we 
reached  the  Taku  bar,  where  we  were  delayed  six  days.  At 
Tientsin  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  opened  their  doors  to  us.  As  the 
rivers  were  frozen  over  we  were  delayed  several  days  in  prepara- 
tion for  the  journey.  Three  carts,  three  wheelbarrows  and  a 
mule  litter  for  Mrs.  Ament  were  secured  for  the  journey  of  130 
miles.  We  had  the  usual  experience  with  Chinese  inns  in 
very  cold  weather.  We  spent  five  nights  on  the  way.  Mrs. 
Ament  was  the  first  lady  who  had  travelled  through  this  region. 
We  found  our  home  waiting  for  us  with  two  rooms  ready.  Mr. 
Pierson  had  kindly  set  up  a  stove  for  us,  so  that  warm  rooms 
awaited  us.     I  long  to  begin  work  in  our  nice  little  chapel. 

W.  S.  Ament. 

Pao  Ting  Fu,  North  China,  Feb,  18,  1878. 
Dear  Miss  Schirmer  : 

My  life  here  is  one  of  unalloyed  happiness.  Our  little 
compound  is  the  scene  of  activity  from  early  morn  till  late  at 
night.  At  nine  o'clock  our  teacher  comes  and  we  wrestle  with 
the  language  till  one.  I  almost  envy  the  beggars  on  the  street, 
I  so  much  long  to  master  the  language.  Should  you  walk 
through  the  city  at  this  time  you  would  see  many  strange  sights. 
Heathen  processions  in  long  array,  lanterns  of  every  variety, 
making  the  city  as  brilliant  as  tallow  candles  can.  Men  and 
women  with  bundles  of  incense  and  colored  paper  to  be  burnt 
before  their  idols.  The  Feast  of  Lanterns  celebrates  the  close 
of  their  New  Year  festivities.  It  is  the  great  event  of  the  year. 
The  most  popular  amusement  is  the  flying  of  kites.     These  are 


40  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

made  in  the  most  grotesque  forms,  resembling  huge  butterflies, 
crickets  and  men.  The  air  is  made  hideous  by  these  whirring 
monsters  and  the  shouts  of  men  and  boys  who  manage  them. 

Nothing  can  surpass  the  beauty  of  our  winter  nights.  The 
moon  sheds  light  like  a  vast  chandelier  and  the  heavens  sparkle 
with  diamonds.  The  heavens  are  usually  cloudless  and  I  can 
easily  understand  how  the  Orientals  were  the  first  astronomers. 

Of  this  city  of  150,000  inhabitants,^  21,000  are  beggars  and 
in  the  winter  live  in  the  city  mat  sheds  prepared  for  them. 
Seventy  miles  from  here  the  people  are  dying  by  scores  because 
there  is  no  food.  We  desire  very  much  a  missionary  doctor 
for  our  station. 

Faithfully  yours, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

In  March  of  this  year  Mr.  Ament  writes  to  Secretary 
Clark  :  ^^  The  romance  of  our  first  establishment  here  has 
not  worn  off,  and  I  trust  it  never  will.  The  work  at  Pao 
Ting  Pu  seems  to  have  an  auspicious  beginning.  Our 
helpers  are  good  Christian  men  and  efficient.  My  lim- 
ited experience  convinces  me  that  a  great  work  is  pos- 
sible for  the  Chinese.'^ 

The  strenuous  life  of  a  missionary  to  China  begins  long 
before  he  can  be  prepared  for  it.  Two  months  before 
Mr.  Ament  arrived  at  Pao  Ting  Fu,  the  reports  of  a 
wide-spread  famine,  due  to  lack  of  rain,  became  omi- 
nous. Missionaries  in  Eastern  Shantung  had  begun  relief 
work,  and  the  distress  in  Shansi  had  been  reported  at 
Hankow  earlier  than  in  Chihli.  With  the  opening  of  the 
year  1878,  the  distress  in  Chihli  and  Shantung  became 
widely  spread  and  efforts  to  give  relief  were  organized  on 
a  large  scale.  The  committee  at  Shanghai  made  a  strong 
appeal  and  solicited  aid  from  every  quarter.  Dr.  Arthur 
H.  Smith,  in  his  volume,  *^Eex  Christus,"  sums  up  the 

^  This  estimate  of  population  is  extreme.  One  hundred  thousand 
would  be  more  than  generous.  In  1883  Mr,  Pierson  held  that  there 
were  not  more  than  70,000  or  80,000  inhabitants. 


LIFE  AT  PAO  TING  FU  41 

terribleness  of  the  great  famine  as  follows :  ''Both  Prot- 
estant and  Roman  Catholic  missionaries,  together  with 
members  of  the  Imperial  Customs,  sixty-nine  foreigners  in 
all,  engaged  in  the  work  of  distribution.  The  horrors  of 
that  time  will  never  pass  out  of  remembrance.  The  offi- 
cial report  of  the  committee  estimated  the  loss  of  life  at 
from  nine  to  fourteen  millions,  and,  according  to  Dr.  S. 
W.  Williams,  no  famine  is  recorded  in  the  history  of  any 
land  which  equalled  this  in  the  death  rate."  The  great 
distress  in  Shantung  and  central  Chihli  did  not  appear 
until  the  opening  of  the  year  1878.  Active  relief  was  be- 
gun in  the  village  of  P'ang  Chuang,  Shantung,  about  the 
middle  of  March,  continuing  until  the  end  of  June.  This 
one  station  distributed  about  twelve  thousand  taels  to 
about  twenty  thousand  mouths.  Pittance  as  it  was  for 
such  a  multitude  many  thousands  of  lives  were  saved. 
In  the  great  Eoman  Catholic  region  of  Ho  Chien  Fu  and 
Hsien  Hsien,  the  distribution  was  carried  on  by  their  own 
missionaries  and  some  members  of  the  Imperial  Customs 
service.  The  region  which  Mr.  Pierson  and  Mr.  Ament 
visited  was  southwest  of  Ho  Chien  Fu  with  the  market 
town  of  Liu  Chiu  as  their  centre  of  relief. 


August  lOy  1878, 
My  dear  Miss  Schirmer  : 

Imagine  a  young  man  alone,  not  an  English  speaking 
man  within  oceans  of  miles,  possessing  only  a  smattering  of  the 
language,  living  in  a  low  room  of  a  Chinese  inn,  with  black 
walls  and  brick  floor,  sleeping  on  a  Chinese  brick  bed,  the 
abode  of  fleas  and  other  worst  inhabitants,  having  to  deal  with 
men  whose  business  it  is  to  cheat  and  lie,  surrounded  each  day 
by  hundreds  of  people  whose  bones  protrude  for  want  of  food, 
separated  from  his  source  of  supplies,  so  that  he  had  no  food 
but  the  coarse  grain  the  natives  sold  him ;  imagine  all  this  and 
you  may  realize  in  a  measure  the  condition  of  W.  S.  A.,  when 
the  courier  brought  him  a  batch  of  home  letters.  Not  the  last 
one  to  be  opened  was  the  one  from  '*2J."     It  was  Sabbath 


42  AVILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

morning  when  the  courier  arrived.  The  whole  day  nearly  was 
occupied  in  perusing  my  letters,  there  were  so  many.  Fervently 
did  I  thank  the  Great  Father  of  us  all  for  the  gift  of  friends 
and  the  opportunity  of  communing  with  them  as  well  as  with 
Him,  on  His  holy  day.  I  was  alone  in  the  country  about 
three  weeks,  then,  Mr.  Pierson  arriving,  I  went  to  Peking  on 
horseback  to  get  more  money  for  distribution  and  of  course  to 
see  my  wife  from  whom  I  had  been  separated  for  more  than  two 
months.  In  eight  days  I  returned  to  Liu  Chiu  with  a  thousand 
taels,  and  in  fourteen  days  Mr.  Pierson  and  I  had  finished  our 
distribution  and  preaching,  and  began  our  long  march  to 
Peking  to  recruit  for  a  short  season  before  returning  to  Pao 
Ting  Fu,  our  home.  The  summer  rains  had  set  in  and  the 
roads  were  in  a  horrible  condition.  We  took  different  routes 
to  Peking,  I  hoping  to  reach  there  by  a  shorter  and  less 
travelled  road.  The  first  night  after  our  separation,  I  was 
stretched  on  my  back  by  an  attack  of  dysentery,  a  disease  that 
has  carried  away  China's  best  missionaries.  In  the  morning  I 
was  able  to  proceed.  My  cart  was  remarkably  slow,  the  rains 
constant,  so  that  we  were  five  days  in  travelling  a  little  over  one 
hundred  miles.  The  streets  in  Peking  in  the  rainy  season  are 
the  worst  in  the  whole  round  world.  Strong  mules  can  scarce 
draw  a  cart.  I  was  several  times  stuck  fast  in  the  mud  and 
once  overturned.  It  was  only  by  the  aid  of  three  extra  men 
that  I  was  able  to  reach  the  central  city  where  the  missionaries 
live.  I  found  that  owing  to  the  presence  of  typhus  fever  most 
of  the  missionaries  had  fled  to  the  hills  ten  miles  from  the  city 
for  fresh  air  and  recreation.  Mrs.  A.  was  there,  residing  in  a 
Buddhist  temple  in  the  family  of  Dr.  Blodget.  Having  good 
society,  good  food  and  fresh  air  and  daily  donkey  rides  over 
the  hills,  I  have  rapidly  recruited  and  now  after  a  delay  of  ten 
days  in  this  charming  locality,  feel  like  returning  to  Pao  Fu  to 
begin  the  labor  of  another  year.  The  whole  summer  has  been 
devoted  to  work  for  the  starving,  and  now  I  long  for  my  little 
study  where  I  can  devote  myself  to  systematic  study  of  the 
language.  So  bidding  farewell  to  our  good  friends  at  the  hills 
we  started  en  route  homeward. 

August  14th. — I  must  tell  you  more  about  our  residence  at 
the  hills.  From  the  first  settlement  of  foreigners  at  Peking  they 
have  felt  it  necessary  during  the  hot  months  to  escape  from  the 
vapors  and  the  mud  of  the  city.  The  mountam  range  which 
extends  north  to  Mongolia  has  its  foot-hills  about  ten  miles  from 


LIFE  AT  PAO  TING  FU  43 

Peking.  All  North  China  is  one  vast  range  till  you  reach  the 
hills  which  rise  gradually  to  thousands  of  feet,  when  it  stretches 
away  in  the  vast  plateau  of  Siberia.  What  a  relief  it  was  to  my 
eyes  weary  with  gazing  on  flat,  uninteresting  fields  for  so  many 
months,  to  see  once  more  the  *^  upland  lawns,  the  rising  slopes  " 
and  grassy  surface  of  the  lovely  hills.  The  Buddhist  priests 
have  monopolized  all  the  most  beautiful  valleys  and  spots  for 
the  erection  of  temples  and  pagodas.  These  latter  pleasantly 
vary  the  landscape  and  add  especially  to  the  beauty  of  the 
plains  below.  These  temples  are  kept  by  the  dirty  priests  who 
burn  incense  in  front  of  their  hideous  divinities,  whose  presence 
they  summon  by  striking  on  bells  and  beating  drums.  The 
priests,  whose  avarice  is  usually  equal  to  their  filth,  rent  their 
temples  to  the  foreigners,  scores  of  whom  reside  here  during 
the  summer.  The  mode  of  travelling  is  usually  on  donkeys 
that  traverse  the  narrow  and  stony  paths  with  great  ease.  I 
am  the  proud  possessor  of  one  of  these  noble  beasts,  to  which  I 
am  much  attached.  Mrs.  Ament  joins  with  me  in  expression 
of  greatest  regard  for  my  friend. 

Ever  yours, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

Pekingy  Aug.  i^,  1878. 
Dear  Dr.  Clark  : 

Now  that  my  summer  work  is  ended  it  seems  fit  that  I 
should  give  you  some  little  account  of  it.  Immediately  on  the 
conclusion  of  the  annual  meeting  in  April  and  May,  Mr.  Pier- 
son  and  I  started  for  the  interior  with  money  to  relieve  the 
starving  thousands.  As  Pao  Ting  Fu  was  full  of  beggars  and 
pestilence  we  left  the  ladies  of  the  station  in  Peking,  giving 
them  a  fine  opportunity  to  study  the  language  and  become  ac- 
quainted with  the  other  members  of  the  mission.  We  hastened 
on,  as  rapidly  as  Chinese  carts  drawn  by  mules  whose  bones 
protruded  for  want  of  food  could  carry  us,  to  the  market  village 
of  Liu  Chiu  in  the  Hsien  district  of  Yao  Yang  about  400  li 
from  Peking  and  180  li  from  Pao  Ting  Fu.  Mr.  Goodrich  had 
been  there  a  few  weeks  before  us  and  had  in  a  measure  prepared 
the  way,  acquainting  the  people  with  our  motives  in  giving  aid, 
and  also  with  our  plan  of  operations.  At  the  time  of  our  ar- 
rival the  people  had  been  somewhat  disturbed  by  many  rob- 
beries, some  of  them  very  bold,  that  had  recently  taken  place. 
A  soldier  told  me  that  fourteen  robbers  had  been  captured  in 


U  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

that  vicinity  and  several  executed.  The  latter  fact  was  not 
news  to  me  as  I  saw  the  ghastly  heads  swung  in  cages  on  the 
street  for  the  inspection  of  the  people.  Our  method  of  proce- 
dure was  by  personal  inspection  to  find  out  the  needs  of  a  vil- 
lage, secure  the  names  of  the  families  and  the  number  of  them, 
and  then  on  the  following  day  give  them  funds  for  ten  days' 
sustenance.  Mr.  Hunt's  death  occurring,  also  Dr.  Blodget's 
illness,  Mr.  Pierson  was  invited  to  come  to  Peking  and  assist  in 
the  care  of  the  treasury  and  press.  Arriving  at  Pao  Ting  Fu 
he  remained  for  three  weeks  waiting  for  further  advices.  In 
the  meantime,  I  was  alone  in  the  country  carrying  on  the  work 
as  best  I  could.  After  the  expiration  of  three  weeks  Mr.  Pier- 
son  returned  to  Liu  Chiu  and  I  went  to  Peking  for  more  money 
and  a  few  days'  recreation.  I  am  glad  to  say  that  I  made  a 
five  days'  journey  in  three  days,  showing  the  best  time  on  horse- 
back yet  made  between  Pao  Ting  Fu  and  Peking. 

The  deaths  of  four  missionaries  and  the  illness  of  Mr.  Smith, 
all  with  typhus  fever,  depressed  my  spirits  very  much  and  made 
me  anxious  to  complete  our  work  in  the  country  where  fever 
seemed  to  have  its  natural  home.  I  think  I  have  felt  the  sensa- 
tions of  a  soldier  under  fire  for  the  first  time.  Comrades  have 
dropped  on  all  sides  from  an  enemy  more  deadly  and  pitiless 
than  the  leaden  bullet.  Never  did  my  religion  appear  more 
grand  and  precious,  or  the  presence  of  Christ  more  comforting. 
Surely  the  law  of  compensation  holds  good  in  spiritual  as  in 
financial  affairs. 

Finishing  our  work  as  rapidly  as  possible,  Mr.  Pierson  and  I 
bade  farewell  to  that  desolate  region  and  the  throngs  who  came 
to  see  us  depart,  and  launched  our  carts  for  Peking.  I  will  say 
launched  as  the  roads  by  recent  rains  had  been  reduced  to  that 
state  of  consistency  when  liquidity  and  not  solidity  prevails. 
Such  roads  !  The  imagination  of  a  Dante  could  not  conceive 
of  worse  in  the  region  of  the  lost.  At  Ho  Chien  Fu  we 
separated,  he  going  to  Pao  Fu,  I  hastening  on  to  Peking,  which 
place  I  reached  August  2d  almost  as  much  dead  as  alive,  a 
vile  carter  having  annoyed  me,  and  diarrhoea  having  weakened 
me,  throughout  the  whole  journey  of  seven  days.  But  weari- 
ness seemed  to  vanish  when  I  entered  the  pleasant  rooms  and 
grasped  the  warm  hand  of  good  Dr.  Blodget,  with  whom  Mrs. 
Ament  had  been  spending  her  leisure  at  the  hills.  It  was  re- 
freshing to  be  in  association  with  this  learned  and  good  man. 
Our  temple,  snuggled  in  a  pleasant  valley,  made  us  a  charm- 


LIFE  AT  PAO  TING  FU  45 

ing  home,  and  the  fresh  influences  of  nature,  directed  by  the 
Father's  hand,  assisted  to  restore  a  soul  oppressed  and  sad- 
dened by  long  association  with  poverty  and  sin.  After  ten  days 
of  such  recreation,  I  began  to  long  for  home  and  Pao  Ting  Fu 
from  which  I  have  been  separated  for  four  long  months. 
August  14th  Mrs.  Ament  and  I  set  our  faces  homeward. 
After  a  short  visit  with  the  invalid  Brother  Chapin  at  Tung-chow 
we  hope  to  take  boat  via  Tientsin  for  Pao  Fu. 

Pao  Ting  Fu,  Sept,  ig,  1878, 
Mr.  Ament  to  Dr.  Clark  : 

Home  again  !    After  five  months  of  wandering  and  sep- 
aration we  find  ourselves  once  more  a  united  station. 

We  reached  Tientsin  Saturday  p.  m.,  and  after  spending  the 
Sabbath  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stanley  and  collecting  the  boxes  of 
supplies  waiting  for  us,  we  on  Monday  boarded  our  little  boat 
once  more  and  after  a  delightful  ride  of  four  days,  found  our- 
selves on  the  ''bund"  in  Pao  Ting  Fu.  Though  quite  a 
boisterous  crowd  followed  us  through  the  streets  we  succeeded 
in  reaching  home  safely. 

The  summer's  experience,  hard  as  it  may  have  been,  has  not, 
I  hope,  been  lost  upon  us.  It  has  taught  me  independence, 
has  confirmed  my  little  knowledge  of  the  language  and  given 
me  a  deeper  insight  into  Chinese  character.  I  am  not  dis- 
mayed by  the  depravity  of  nature  thus  revealed  to  me,  but 
think  that  I  can  discern  the  germs  that  may  be  developed  into 
a  noble  manhood  under  the  genial  influences  of  the  Gospel. 
The  Chinese  are  very  susceptible  to  kindness  and  fully  appre- 
ciate honesty,  so  little  known  among  them.  They  know  that 
truth  is  the  exception  among  themselves  and  deplore  the  fact. 
Dr.  Blodget  told  me  that  the  leading  Chinaman  in  the  recent 
troubles  with  the  English  said,  "The  foreigners  are  honest,  and 
therefore  will  prevail." 

We  have  vigorously  entered  upon  the  work  of  repairs,  en- 
deavoring to  make  ourselves  comfortable  for  another  year. 
The  rains  had  crumbled  the  walls  of  our  buildings  and  the 
roofs  were  also  soaked  through. 

December  6,  1878. 
To  Dr.  Clark  : 

We  have  had  one  communion  season  since  our  return 
from  Peking.      Four  were  received  on  confession  into  our  little 


46  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

church,  which  now  numbers  about  thirty-five,  and  others  were 
received  on  probation.  Among  the  former  was  a  little  boy^ 
Chang  So  {son  of  our  oldest  helper  Meng'),  twelve  years  of 
age,  who  to  us  is  an  object  of  great  interest.  He  has  a  bright 
and  winning  face,  jet  black,  brilliant  eyes,  and  a  still  more  bril- 
liant intellect.  He  reads  better  than  most  young  men  of 
twenty  years,  sings  well,  daily  reads  his  Bible,  apparently  with 
an  understanding  heart.  He  is  the  light  and  sunshine  of  our 
little  group  of  Christians.  We  wish  to  educate  him  at  our 
school  at  Tung-chow  but  alas,  where  is  the  money  to  come  from  ? 
The  missionaries  there  say  the  allowance  of  the  Board  is  already 
insufficient  for  the  expense  and  they  cannot  take  new  boys. 
What  is  to  be  done  ?  If  this  church  wishes  to  spend  fifty  or 
sixty  dollars  a  year  for  this  boy  you  may  be  educating  one  who 
may  be  a  shining  light  in  the  Church  of  God  and  lead  many  to 
righteousness.  (Now  pastor  in  Pao  Ting  Fu  since  1900,  Meng 
Chi  Tseng.) 

I  feel  much  encouraged  with  my  recent  progress  in  the 
language.  I  conduct  my  own  family  prayers  and  expect  soon 
to  begin  my  daily  Bible  class.  In  these  exercises  I  am  assisted 
by  our  oldest  helper  who  readily  catches  my  meaning  and  helps 
me  out  of  my  difficulties.  The  coming  year  we  wish  to  prose- 
cute a  vigorous  campaign.  We  missionaries  are  much  hampered 
in  our  work  by  the  great  number  who  come  to  us  for  medical 
aid.  A  good  physician  is  the  one  thing  needed  to  complete  the 
equipment  of  our  station.  Dr.  Porter  will  no  doubt  tell  you 
how  the  work  opens  before  us  in  that  direction. 

Fao  Ting  Fu,  Jan.  2S,  iSyg. 
Dear  Miss  Schirmer  : 

I  start  on  Monday  for  a  long  tour  in  the  country.  I  go 
alone  and  try  my  young  wings  as  a  preacher  when  I  have  no 
other  foreigner  at  hand  to  help  me.  I  fear  nothing  except  the 
cold  which  is  very  intense.  Imagine  me  in  a  long  sheepskin 
and  Chinese  woolen  boots  and  mittens.  I  also  carry  skates, 
for  fear  I  shall  reach  the  overflowed  land  where  carts  cannot 
go,  and  I  must  go  many  miles  on  foot.  I  have  men  to  carry 
my  luggage  and  I  go  with  skates  till  I  reach  a  preaching  place. 
Mrs.  Ament  is  quite  strong  again  but  is  hardly  courageous 
enough  to  face  the  cold  with  me.  Chinese  New  Year  occurred 
on  the  2 1  St  of  January.  The  streets  are  quiet  and  all  the  peo- 
ple are  in  their  homes  and  most  of  them  are  gambling,  drinking 


LIFE  AT  PAO  TING  FU  47 

whiskey,  or  eating  great  quantities  of  food  which  they  consider 
a  duty  at  this  season.  Many  people  are  making  calls  with  their 
red  cards.  Their  customs  at  this  season  are  similar  to  ours. 
Accept  this  line  in  great  haste. 

Your  faithful  friend, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

Pao  Ting  Fu,  March  i8,  iSyg, 
My  dear  Mother  : 

Mr.  Pierson  has  been  gone  more  than  a  month  in  the 
country  and  I  have  had  the  whole  care  of  the  station.  The 
work  among  the  women  is  most  interesting.  They  really  come 
in  throngs  and  our  three  women  have  their  hands  full.  Mary 
does  wonders  in  the  language  and  in  medicine  and  has  also 
begun  a  school  for  boys  which  now  numbers  six  or  eight 
scholars.  She  is  quite  strong  again,  and  loves  her  street  Arabs. 
The  leader  of  the  boys  is  called  ''  Nick  in  the  nose,"  because 
he  has  a  smallpox  mark  on  the  end  of  his  nose.  They  are 
keen  little  fellows  and  learn  our  catechism  very  rapidly. 
Yesterday  Mary  and  I  went  to  visit  some  Mohammedan  friends 
and  had  a  very  pleasant  time.  They  fed  us  with  all  kind  of 
confectionery  and  a  kind  of  mince  pie,  which  we  could  never 
eat  before,  but  we  found  that  used  with  garlic  they  were  quite 
eatable.  They  wanted  Mary  to  come  alone,  but  I  was  afraid 
to  have  her,  fearing  some  trap  on  their  part.  The  Moham- 
medan women  are  quite  superior  to  the  Chinese  women  and 
have  a  very  ladylike  manner. 

I  preach  regularly  every  Sabbath  to  a  congregation  of  about 
forty  men  and  women.  Of  course  my  idioms  are  very  im- 
perfect and  words  and  ideas  considerably  mixed,  but  I  manage 
in  some  way  to  get  through  a  sermon.  I  also  have  a  class  of 
men  on  Sabbath  afternoon.  Last  week  I  received  four  men  on 
probation.  They  came  here  to  see  us,  supposing  we  were  Ro- 
man Catholics.  They  knew  much  about  religion  and  wished  to 
enter.  Thinking  of  keeping  them  from  going  to  the  devil  that 
way,  I  explained  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  and  served  to  convince 
them  that  Christ  was  better  than  the  Pope.  They  changed 
their  minds  and  resolved  to  cast  in  their  lots  with  us.  I  have 
found  a  Nicodemus  here  also.  A  man  from  a  large  govern- 
ment office,  in  his  silk  garments,  comes  here  frequently  in  the 
late  evenings.  He  told  me  the  other  evening  that  our  doctrine 
was  a  great  one  but  h?  could  npt  attend  to  it  in  the  daytime. 


48  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

He  is  a  very  bright  man  and  knows  a  great  deal  of  our  doctrine. 
Pray  the  Lord  that  he  may  have  boldness  to  state  his  senti- 
ments without  fear  of  persecution. 

Mr.  Pierson  in  the  country  was  nearly  suffocated  by  charcoal 
gas,  and  fainted  after  he  left  the  room.  Suffocation  is  one  of 
the  dangers  of  winter  travel  in  China.  Hundreds  of  people  are 
anxious  to  hear  the  Gospel  in  the  country,  and  many  villages 
have  invited  Mr.  Pierson  to  go  and  preach  to  them.  He  ex- 
pects to  visit  two  villages  a  day  for  the  next  two  weeks.  What 
are  we  among  so  many  ? 

With  very  much  love  from  myself  and  Mary, 

Your  son, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

Pao  Ting  Fu,  April  4,  i8yg. 
Dear  Miss  Schirmer  : 

We  are  about  starting  to  Peking  for  our  annual  mission 
meeting.  At  this  time  we  expect  to  meet  President  Grant  who 
will  arrive  in  Peking  in  a  few  weeks.  Mr.  Pierson  has  just 
arrived  from  the  country  after  a  tour  of  seven  weeks.  He 
brings  terrible  reports  of  the  work  of  the  Roman  Catholics. 
The  Chinese  officials  hate  the  priests.  They  are  continually 
meddling  with  the  course  of  law  and  the  execution  of  their 
orders.  We  are  all  in  splendid  health  and  full  of  work.  The 
women  come  here  in  throngs  and  our  Sabbath  congregations 
overflow  all  the  rooms.  I  preach  regularly  on  the  Sabbath, 
though  as  yet  in  a  stammering  manner.  Mrs.  Ament  leads 
us  all  in  accuracy  of  speech.  I  quite  envy  her  progress. 
Ever  your  sincere  friend, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

Pao  Ting  Fuy  June  26^  18'jg. 
My  dear  Mother  : 

Summer  has  come  and  with  it  the  dreadful  dry  heat  of 
this,  at  present,  rainless  region.  The  air  is  almost  like  a  sirocco 
from  the  desert.  The  officials  of  the  city  have  been  out  to  the 
temples  to  pray  for  rain  several  times,  and  yet  the  dragon  holds 
his  supply.  We  do  most  heartily  pray  to  the  true  God  of 
heaven  that  this  region  may  not  be  given  over  to  the  horrors 
of  another  famine.  Fruit  is  getting  prematurely  ripe  and  the 
grain  looks  yellow.  If  it  were  not  for  the  mat  sheds  which  we 
have  over  our  houses,  I  am  afraid  that  we  could  not  stand  the 


LIFE  AT  PAO  TING  FU  49 

heat  from  these  brick  walls  and  courts.  As  it  is  we  suffer  but 
little  and  are  very  grateful  that  we  are  so  well  cared  for. 
Next  week  I  start  on  a  country  tour  and  my  tune  in  regard  to 
the  weather  will  be  changed.  Of  course  I  go  in  a  Chinese  cart 
which  will  be  covered  and  will  be  very  hot.  I  can  occasionally 
exchange  the  cart  for  a  donkey.  I  expect  to  meet  Mr.  Good- 
rich at  Liu  Chiu,  one  of  our  stations.  He  is  an  old  ex- 
perienced missionary,  and  his  presence  will  relieve  the  journey 
of  much  tedium  and  distress.  He  is  a  beautiful  speaker  of  the 
language  and  I  anticipate  much  help.  He  is  also  a  fine  singer 
and  musician  and  his  coming  is  relished  by  the  natives.  I  take 
for  my  food  several  cans  of  vegetables  and  fruit.  During  the 
summer,  life  is  precarious  in  the  country  at  best  and  it  is  wisest 
to  take  good  care  of  oneself.  I  could  live  wholly  on  Chinese 
food  if  necessary,  but  the  experience  of  older  men  proves  that 
not  to  be  the  wisest  course.  I  also  am  well  provided  with 
medicines.  I  find  that  there  is  no  special  value  or  benefit  in 
making  hardships  just  for  the  sake  of  bearing  them,  and  I  am 
learning  to  take  some  care  of  myself.     Mary  is  still  in  Peking. 

Peking,  July  ig,  187Q. 
To  Miss  Schirmer  : 

My  little  wife  is  prostrate  on  a  bed  of  illness.  I  re- 
turned two  days  ago  after  a  separation  of  nine  weeks.  I  was 
among  the  cold  and  indifferent  heathen,  separated  by  a  country 
flooded  with  water,  and  she  was  languishing  alone,  unable  to 
lift  a  hand  in  self-defense.  She  has  never  recovered  from  her 
sickness  of  last  October  and  because  we  had  no  physician  sick- 
ness which  cannot  be  cured  in  a  month  or  two  has  been  en- 
tailed upon  her.  She  is  so  patient  and  cheerful  that  she  has 
won  golden  opinions  from  everybody  and  seems  to  breathe  the 
very  atmosphere  of  heaven.  We  hope  that  when  the  cold 
weather  comes  on  she  will  improve  and  be  able  in  the  course 
of  time  to  go  about  her  accustomed  duties. 

Just  before  I  left  home  I  had  the  pleasure  of  baptizing  two 
literary  men  who  seem  willing  to  give  up  their  earthly  prospects 
for  the  Gospel. 

Peking,  July  23,  1879. 
W.  S.  Ament  to  Dr.  Clark  : 

You  see  by  my  address  that  I  am  again  in  Peking.  At 
the  annual  meeting  Mrs.  Ament  was  not  able  to  be  moved  and 


50  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Pao  Ting  Fu  has  been  deprived  of  her  presence  for  the  spring 
and  summer.  There  seems  no  other  way  but  for  me  to  leave 
Mrs.  A.  here  in  the  hands  of  those  already  overburdened  with 
work,  and  return  to  Pao  Fu  alone  to  keep  up  our  station.  I 
know  you  have  made  great  exertions  to  get  us  a  physician  and 
we  do  not  complain.  I  regard  our  station  as  in  the  most  en- 
couraging attitude  of  any  in  the  mission. 

I  have  just  returned  to  Peking  after  a  nine  weeks'  absence. 
During  a  portion  of  this  time  I  had  the  pleasure  of  Mr.  Good- 
rich's company  in  a  short  tour  in  the  region  south  of  Pao  Fu. 
The  season  was  a  little  unfortunate  owing  to  the  wheat  harvest 
which  occupied  the  whole  attention  of  the  villagers.  As  it  was 
we  found  that  most  of  the  probationers  received  in  the  winter 
had  remained  constant  and  some  others  stood  ready  to  enter 
our  ranks.  The  helpers  had  been  doing  good  work  though 
without  the  presence  of  their  pastors,  and  we  look  forward 
with  hope  to  their  increased  efficiency.  We  were  also  assisted 
by  some  of  the  boys  from  the  Tung-chow  school.  They  give 
great  promise  of  future  usefulness.  One  promising  feature  of 
their  early  attempts  at  preaching  is  their  large  use  of  Scripture 
with  which  they  seem  to  be  familiar.  Native  learning  is  so  su- 
perficial that  we  find  helpers  and  boys  from  the  school  are  ef- 
ficient just  in  proportion  as  they  drink  from  the  sacred  foun- 
tain. I  begin  to  see  more  clearly  that  the  Bible  itself  is  our 
best  preaching  agency.  The  story  of  the  cross  seems  less  to 
move  the  Chinese  heart  than  the  grand  sentiments  (often  akin 
to  the  sentiments  of  their  sages)  and  holy  fervor  of  the  Psalms 
and  other  portions  of  the  Old  Testament.  The  work  in  Pao  Fu  is 
in  that  state  which  gives  us  hope  of  speedy  enlargement.  The 
Sabbath  before  I  started  for  Peking  we  celebrated  the  Lord's 
Supper  and  two  men,  our  personal  teachers,  were  received  by 
baptism  into  the  church.  These  were  literary  men,  one  of  whom 
has  known  the  doctrine  for  several  years,  and  never  before  mani- 
fested any  desire  to  accept  it  for  himself.  We  regard  him  now 
as  a  converted  man,  one  who  gives  up  his  prospects  of  govern- 
ment employ  for  the  sake  of  Christ.  This  step  for  these  liter- 
ary men,  we  trust,  will  be  of  special  significance  and  value  in 
our  community.  It  means  for  them  (unless  results  are  different 
than  we  expect)  social  ostracism  and  exclusion  from  the  honors 
of  office. 

Five  women  were  also  received  on  probation  and  two  men, 
one  of  whom  is  surgeon  in  a  military  yamen  or  office.     These 


LIFE  AT  PAO  TING  FU  51 

women  are  from  the  better  classes,  well  dressed,  with  clean, 
bright  faces.  Their  faithfulness  has  been  tested  by  months  of 
regular  attendance  on  our  Sunday  service  and  a  positive  desire 
to  learn  shown  in  their  committing  much  Scripture  to  memory 
and  the  mastery  of  several  hymns  and  a  printed  prayer.  This 
work  among  the  women  fills  us  with  perpetual  joy.  At  the 
other  stations  it  seems  difficult  to  secure  any  women  listeners. 
We  in  Pao  Fu  City  have  more  such  listeners  than  we  can  find 
room  for.  Mrs.  Ament  has  been  a  large  factor  in  their  work, 
but  now  she  is  laid  aside.  Would  that  we  had  unmarried 
ladies  sufficient  to  push  this  work  vigorously. 

Pao  Ting  Fu,  Oct.  7,  187^, 
My  dear  Mother  : 

Still  in  my  widowed  solitude  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the 
Piersons.  I  hope  that  next  week  will  see  them  here.  Two 
days  ago  I  received  the  first  mail  I  had  seen  for  a  long  while. 
You  may  imagine  the  zeal  with  which  I  tore  open  the  little  pack- 
age which  finally  did  come  by  slow  Chinese  post.  These  fel- 
lows are  an  independent  crowd  and  if  it  rains  or  if  their  supply 
of  letters  is  small  they  will  loiter  on  the  way,  drink  and  sing  at 
the  inns,  and  you  may  howl  and  rage  all  you  please,  they  will 
take  their  own  time. 

We  have  several  probationers  who  are  patiently  waiting  till 
their  day  shall  come.  One  old  man,  a  merchant,  and  the 
wealthiest  man  in  our  little  group  of  churchgoers,  said  he 
wanted  to  be  baptized  also.  He  had  hardly  courage  to  shut 
up  his  shop  on  Sabbath  and  we  wait  for  him  to  make  that  de- 
cision.    This  is  always  a  test  question  with  a  Chinaman. 

I  work  hard  and  study  myself  hoarse  almost  every  day  to 
learn  the  language.  I  am  trying  to  become  as  learned  as  pos- 
sible in  Chinese  history  and  folk-lore,  and  if  I  do  not  write 
much  upon  the  subject  now  it  is  because  I  am  laying  in  materi- 
als for  future  use.  China  is  a  country  especially  whose  insti- 
tutions and  history  need  to  be  mastered,  not  in  a  day  or  a  year. 
The  old  books  are  locked  up  in  the  hardest  kind  of  classical 
language,  very  different  from  the  colloquial,  and,  then  too,  their 
customs  are  so  numerous  and  methods  of  thought  so  utterly 
different  from  what  we  have  been  accustomed  to  that  you  must 
grow  into  a  Chinaman  before  you  can  understand  them.  I 
want  to  be  a  Christian  Chinaman,  with  an  American  educa- 
tion.    Chinese  ideas  and  jJhrases  and  ways  of  looking  at  things 


62  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

are  gradually  soaking  into  me,  and  I  hope  in  good  time  I  may 
draw  some  out  by  dint  of  hard  squeezing.  I  suppose  I  carry 
about  with  me  the  celestial  aroma. 

I  use  a  little  charcoal  fire,  pay  one-tenth  of  a  cent  for  hot 
water  for  my  tea  (we  never  steep  tea  ourselves  here)  and  eat 
the  usual  amount  of  rice  and  millet,  cabbage,  sweet  potatoes, 
onions,  garlic,  and  dough  cut  in  strips.  Grapes  are  also  in 
the  market  of  which  I  eat  great  quantities.  I  am  getting  so 
acclimated  that  I  have  my  tea  between  meals,  like  any  literary 
gentleman.  I  hope  to  take  a  long  tour,  perhaps  going  to 
Honan  and  Shantung,  to  be  gone  two  months  or  more. 

With  much  love  to  Claribel  and  my  nephew. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

Pao  Ting  Fu,  Oct.  21  ^  iSyg. 
W.  S.  Ament  to  Dr.  Clark  : 

I  had  a  pleasant  journey  up  the  river,  embracing  the 
opportunity  in  several  places  to  preach  and  distribute  books. 
As  we  shall  be  constantly  ascending  and  descending  that  river 
perhaps  for  years  to  come,  I  hope  to  sow  its  banks  with  gospel 
seed  till  they  shall  be  more  beautiful  even  than  at  present  with 
their  graceful  willows.  In  places  this  unusually  transparent  river 
broadens  out  into  lake-like  proportions  and  furnishes  scenery 
unsurpassed  in  North  China.  The  poor  inhabitants  along  its 
banks  fail  to  appreciate  its  beauty,  as  they  have  a  perpetual 
struggle  to  keep  its  wayward  waters  from  engulfing  their  homes. 
On  arriving  at  Pao  Ting  Fu,  I  was  agreeably  surprised  to 
find  that  our  few  brethren  had  been  so  faithful  in  keeping  up 
the  regular  Sabbath  service  and  were  ready  to  give  me  so  cor- 
dial a  welcome  at  our  first  gathering.  After  a  few  days  a  man 
presented  himself  who  said  that  he  had  been  waiting  more  than 
a  month  for  the  arrival  of  a  preacher  of  the  Jesus  doctrine,  but 
as  he  asked  for  medicine  at  the  same  time,  I  considered  him  as 
only  one  of  the  many  who  sought  merely  the  loaves  and  fishes. 
He  proved  to  be  an  entirely  different  man.  He  continued  to 
come  regularly  to  all  our  gatherings,  bought  many  books  and 
paid  for  them  in  a  most  gratifying  manner.  Several  years  ago, 
in  some  way  or  other,  from  some  member  of  this  station,  he 
secured  a  copy  of  the  New  Testament,  and  this  book  he  had 
studiously  perused.  He  is  in  official  employ  and  in  the  yamen. 
He  endured  no  little  persecution  for  reading  the  foreign  book. 


LIFE  AT  PAO  TING  FU  53 

For  several  years  he  has  seen  no  one  who  could  explain  its 
contents.  Having  obtained  leave  of  absence  he  came  to  Pao 
Ting  Fu  and  was  much  disappointed  when  he  found  we  were 
all  gone. 

November  23d. — A  month  has  rolled  away  and  now  I  con- 
tinue this  letter  from  another  city — Tientsin.  I  was  very 
sorry  to  leave  Mr.  Pierson  alone  with  all  the  work  of  the  station 
upon  his  hands,  but  I  came  down  on  medical  recommendation 
and  have  had  also  abundant  opportunity  to  engage  in  mission 
work.  Dr.  Porter  has  arrived  and  almost  immediately  set  out 
for  Shantung  where  he  joins  Smith  and  Stanley.  In  the  mean- 
time 1  conduct  the  Sabbath  services  for  our  few  Christians 
here.  Mrs.  Anient  is  gradually  improving,  and  the  doctor,  a 
young  Englishman  of  limited  experience,  has  hope  of  her  com- 
plete recovery.  These  beautiful  autumn  days  and  the  vigorous 
bracing  sea  air  felt  here  at  this  season  of  the  year  prove  to  be 
her  best  medicine.  I  feel  like  a  miscreant  here  away  from  my 
work  and  beloved  station,  and  shall  return  at  my  first  oppor- 
tunity. To  my  mind  an  inland  station  has  superior  advan- 
tages to  a  port.  Here  are  constant  interruptions  which  destroy 
the  possibility  of  regular  study  and  also  divert  one's  mind  from 
the  Chinese.  The  natives  are  more  hostile  to  foreigners  and 
in  every  respect  work  is  done  at  arms'  length.  Even  a  mis- 
sionary appreciates  the  sympathy  of  those  for  whom  he  labors 
and  he  only  receives  it  from  the  simple-hearted  natives  of  the 
interior. 

Peking,  Dec,  9,  i8'/g. 
My  dear  Mother  : 

I  am  at  Peking,  en  route  to  Pao  Ting  Fu  after  a  stay  of 
over  a  month  with  Mary  at  Tientsin.  She  is  recovering  her 
strength  very  rapidly  now  and  hopes  by  February  to  return  to 
Pao  Ting  Fu  in  a  mule  litter.  Her  physician  says  he  knows 
no  reason  why  she  should  not  be  recovered  by  that  time.  To- 
morrow I  start  with  Roberts  on  a  tour  into  the  country.  In 
about  six  weeks  I  expect  to  return  for  Mary. 
Only  a  word  in  great  haste. 

Your  son, 

W.  S.  Ament. 


Since  the  birth  of  her  first  child,  in  November,  1878— 


64  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

the  little  Margaret,  who  did  not  live — Mrs.  Ament  had 
been  much  of  an  invalid. 

The  necessity  of  a  doctor  for  the  station  at  Pao  Ting 
Fu  had  long  been  felt.  The  urgent  appeal  of  Mr.  Pierson 
in  the  mission  papers  attracted  the  attention  of  Dr.  A.  P. 
Peck,  of  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  and  his  wife.  Their  appli- 
cation was  gladly  accepted  by  the  American  Board,  and 
they  were  assigned,  with  the  Kev.  W^illiam  Shaw  and 
wife,  to  the  Pao  Ting  Fu  station.  At  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  mission  in  May,  1880,  held  at  Peking,  very 
important  and  far-reaching  decisions  were  arrived  at.  A 
new  station  in  Shantung  had  come  to  be  a  necessity.  It 
was  to  be  opened  in  the  village  of  P'ang  Chuang,  the 
centre  of  a  now  expanding  and  exacting  work.  Eev. 
Arthur  'H.  Smith  and  Eev.  Henry  D.  Porter,  with  their 
families,  were  assigned  to  the  new  station.  At  the  same 
time  the  need  of  permanent  aid  to  the  station  at  Kalgan 
was  very  urgent.  Eev.  James  A.  Eoberts  and  wife  vol- 
unteered to  accept  a  transfer  to  this  upland  station.  The 
continued  ill  health  of  Mrs.  Ament  seemed  to  demand  a 
change  for  her,  which  was  found  in  locating  them  at 
Peking.  ^  *  It  is  not  in  man  that  walketh  to  direct  his 
steps.^^  Mr.  Ament  felt  that  so  great  a  change  was  not 
at  all  of  his  seeking.  An  ardent  regard  for  the  fine 
leadership  of  Dr.  Blodget  was  an  element  in  leading  him 
to  accept  the  decision.  The  sequel  will  show  how  fully 
he  met  the  new  and  inspiring  responsibility. 


«  In  Xanadu  did  Kubla  Khan 

A  stately  pleasure  dome  decree  ; 
"Where  Alph,  the  sacred  river  ran 

Through  caverns  measureless  to  man 
Down  to  a  sunless  sea. 

So  twice  five  miles  of  fertile  ground 
With  walls  and  towers  were  girdled  round.** 
— Coleridge. 

IV 

PEKING  AND  THE  NORTH  CHINA  MISSION 

THE  halo  of  age  and  of  mystery  long  hung  about 
the  northern  capital  of  China.  From  Marco 
Polo's  day  onward  great  interest  has  gathered 
about  the  city  of  the  Great  Khan.  Our  modern  days 
have  made  the  name  Peking  a  household  word.  The 
splendid  capital  of  any  nation  merits  a  world-wide  inter- 
est. The  glamour  of  antiquity  softens  the  coloring  while 
it  increases  the  charm  of  the  capital  city  of  China.  The 
classical  name,  still  maintained  in  elegant  Chinese  writ- 
ing, *^The  Swallow  Capital,''  reached  back  into  the 
depths  of  ancient  times.  The  present  city  owes  its  gen- 
eral form  to  the  military  grandson  of  Genghis  Khan,  who 
made  it  his  capital. 

Dr.  Ament's  researches  in  the  history  of  the  Mongol 
occupation  and  the  records  of  Marco  Polo  show  clearly 
that  the  elder  city  of  the  Golden  Tartars  was  somewhat 
southwest  of  the  present  site,  though  including  portions 
of  the  southern  city.  Kublai  built  a  vast  enclosure,  the 
mud  walls  of  which  are  still  seen  two  miles  before  enter- 
ing the  modern  city.  This  had  no  facing  of  brick.  Even 
the  present  city  owes  its  fine  rectangular  form,  its  broad, 
parallel  thoroughfares,  its  many  lanes,  wider  than  the 
narrow  streets  of  other  Chinese  cities,  to  the  Great  Khan 
who  adorned  it  with  palaces  and  temples.  When  the 
Mongols  were  expelled  the  city  was  reduced  in  size.    The 

65 


56  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

first  of  the  Mings  built  the  north  wall,  and  the  great 
Yung  Lo,  in  1419,  rebuilt  the  other  three  sides.  The 
Manchus  found  a  city  noble  in  its  proportions  and 
strength.  Its  wall,  fifty  feet  high,  with  its  succession  of 
buttresses  and  crenelations,  is  thought  to  be  the  finest  in 
Asia.  The  southern  city,  in  reality  a  suburb  to  the 
Manchu  palaces,  was  enclosed  within  a  wall  in  1543. 
Many  elaborate  descriptions,  with  accounts  of  the  temples 
and  architectural  adornments  of  the  city,  have  been  given. 
The  approach  to  the  city  is  impressive.  Its  walls  and 
tow  ers  loom  up  grandly  from  the  low  plain.  From  the 
top  of  the  wall  the  vast  area  of  the  city  seems  livid  with 
the  green  of  acacia  trees  covering  the  low  roofed  courts 
and  residences. 

The  Coal  Hill  with  its  graceful  temples,  the  long  rows 
of  imperial  palaces  glittering  in  their  yellow  glaze,  the 
temples  of  the  Tartar  city,  the  princely  homes  with  green 
tile  in  lieu  of  yellow,  the  vast  parks  in  the  southern  city, 
home  of  the  Temple  of  Heaven  and  the  Temple  of  Agri- 
culture, add  their  interest  to  the  attractions. 

The  lure  of  this  Chinese  city  not  only  attracted  the 
waiting  diplomats,  but  merchant  and  missionary  were 
held  In  leash  until  the  dogs  of  war  could  give  them  op- 
portunity. Among  those  thus  eager  to  find  an  approach 
to  the  Manchu  capital  were  the  missionaries  of  the 
American  Board  of  Missions,  then,  and  for  a  decade  or 
more,  located  at  Shanghai.  Among  these  were  Henry 
Blodget  and  William  Aitcheson.  Fellow  students  and 
tutors  at  Yale  College,  they  had  come  to  China  in  1854. 
In  1859  Mr.  Aitcheson  had  accompanied  the  American 
minister,  Mr.  John  W.  Davis,  as  an  assistant  interpre- 
ter with  Eev.  W.  A.  P.  Martin,  Dr.  Williams  being  sec- 
retary of  legation.  Eeturning  from  Peking  Mr.  Aitcheson 
had  fallen  ill  en  route  to  Tientsin  and  died  on  the  way. 
The  loss  of  his  fellow  worker  affected  Mr.  Blodget  very 


THE  NORTH  CHINA  MISSION  57 

deeply.  Having  gone  to  Japan  in  the  summer  of  1860, 
an  opportunity  came  to  him  to  sail  for  Tientsin  with  the 
allied  fleet  in  a  troop  ship  carrying  soldiers  from  Japan. 
He  arrived  in  Tientsin  August  26,  1860.  The  capture  of 
Peking,  the  humiliation  of  the  imperial  government  and 
the  continued  occupation  of  Tientsin  made  it  possible  for 
him  to  secure  a  foothold  in  that  quaint  city. 

After  a  return  to  Shanghai,  Mr.  Blodget  came  north 
again  in  October  to  the  newly  opened  port  and  thus  be- 
came the  forerunner  of  the  still  increasing  number  of 
mission  workers.  A  preaching  chapel  was  soon  found 
within  the  city,  on  the  main  street  not  far  from  the  bell 
tower.  Rented  at  first,  the  premises  were  later  pur- 
chased. Mr.  Blodget  remained  at  Tientsin  for  three 
years  until  the  station  was  well  reenforced  by  younger 
men.  He  then  sought  a  place  in  the  capital  itself.  Others 
had  preceded  him  there,  among  them  Rev.  W.  A.  P. 
Martin,  who  in  April,  1910,  celebrated  his  sixtieth  year 
of  service  in  China,  the  Nestor  well  beloved  of  all  mis- 
sions in  China. 

Among  the  workers  at  Peking  was  Dr.  Stewart,  who 
had  fine  premises  secured  for  medical  work.  He  found 
himself,  however,  obliged  to  withdraw  and  had  offered  the 
premises  for  sale.  Mr.  Blodget  at  once  made  an  effort  to 
secure  the  location  for  his  mission.  It  was  suggested  to 
Mrs.  Bridgman,  of  Shanghai,  that  she  might  aid  in  se- 
curing the  fine  place  in  Peking.  She  accordingly  pur- 
chased the  residence  of  Dr.  Stewart  at  the  value  of  eight 
thousand  taels.  Mr.  Blodget  at  once  removed  to  Peking 
and  was  followed  by  Mrs.  Bridgman  herself  in  the  autumn 
of  1864.  As  was  her  wont,  Mrs.  Bridgman  gathered  a 
few  girls  and  so  started  the  school  which  still  perpetuates 
her  name  in  the  Bridgman  Academy  for  Girls. 

The  central  location  of  the  compound  gave  it  special 
importance.     The  street  on  which  it  looked  was  one  of 


68  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

the  short  cross  avenues.  It  gives  access  to  the  centre  of 
the  city  and  to  the  imperial  palace  gate  to  the  southwest. 
The  street  bears  the  quaint  name  Teng  Shih  Kou,  ' '  The 
Lamp  Market  Street.'' 

The  securing  of  the  premises  marked  a  definite  advance 
in  the  prosecution  of  mission  work.  Mr.  Blodget  opened 
a  rear  gate,  off  from  his  study,  and  in  the  afternoon  spoke 
to  those  who  cared  to  listen  or  to  read.  Among  the  lat- 
ter was  an  intelligent  Manchu,  with  a  fine  face  though 
marked  with  smallpox.  He  came  frequently  and  looked 
over  the  little  books.  He  was  a  needle  seller.  Mr.  Blod- 
get asked  him  if  he  would  not  like  to  come  every  after- 
noon and  read  to  the  people.  This  he  consented  to  do  for 
a  small  reward.  He  was  about  the  same  age  as  Mr. 
Blodget.  As  a  bannerman,  he  had  a  small  monthly 
stipend  and  some  duties,  such  as  are  assigned  to  the  dif- 
ferent banners.  Thus  it  came  about  that  Mr.  Jung  be- 
came attached  to  the  mission.  He  became  a  disciple. 
His  clear  voice  and  fine  Peking  speech  added  to  his  serv- 
ice. When  the  street  chapel  was  opened  Jung  Hsien 
Sheng  became  the  accepted  preacher.  As  his  knowledge 
of  Christian  tenets  increased  his  ability  to  explain  ad- 
vanced. It  is  a  joy  to  record  that  some  thirty  years  later 
it  could  be  said  of  him  :  ''He  is  an  honest  Chinaman.'' 
His  strong  and  admirable  character  developing  through 
years  of  service  was  a  signal  light  to  the  growing  church 
at  Peking.  He  lived  to  mourn  the  departure  of  Dr. 
Blodget  in  1894.  He  had  seen  the  Christian  fellowship 
grow  from  nothing  to  many  hundreds  and  had  seen  the 
expansion  into  distant  provinces. 

The  position  in  Peking  being  secure,  there  were  suc- 
cessive reenforcements  :  Mr.  J.  T.  Gulick,  for  the  Mongol 
work  in  1864 ;  Kev.  Chauncey  Goodrich,  in  1865 ;  Mr. 
P.  E.  Hunt  and  Miss  Porter,  in  1868  j  Rev.  C.  Holcombe, 
in  1869. 


REV.  HENRY  BLODGET,  D.D. 


REV.  E.  C  BRIDGMAN.  D.D. 


WILLIAM    S.    AMENT,    D.D. 


CHESTER   HOLCOMBE 


DR.    CHAUNCEY   GOODRICH 


THE  NORTH  CHINA  MISSION  59 

The  time  had  come  for  a  translation  of  the  Scriptures 
into  Mandarin  colloquial.  This  necessitated  a  mission 
press,  which  was  established  by  Mr.  Hunt,  transferred 
from  a  like  work  in  Madras.  Mr.  Hunt  remodelled  the 
east  court,  built  a  fine  press  building  and  bindery  and 
educated  his  workmen  to  do  most  excellent  work  in  each 
department.  During  the  following  two  decades  the  press 
filled  a  most  valuable  place  in  the  literary  department  of 
mission  effort.  On  the  death  of  Mr.  Hunt,  in  1878,  he 
was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Willis  C.  Noble,  who  was  in 
charge  for  ten  years. 

In  the  autumn  of  1868,  Mrs.  Bridgman  withdrew  to 
Shanghai,  leaving  the  girls'  school  in  the  care  of  Miss 
Porter. 

In  the  summer  of  1873,  a  church  building  was  erected, 
in  the  west  court,  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Tank,  of  Wisconsin. 
Its  churchly  windows  and  simple  interior,  with  quiet  and 
tasteful  coloring,  made  a  happy  impression  on  all  who 
came  there  to  worship. 

For  twenty-five  years  it  was  the  home  of  Christian  song 
and  service.  Mr.  Holcombe  found  a  second  location  for 
a  preaching  chapel  a  mile  north  on  the  great  street  near 
the  Sixth  Lane.  A  work  was  carried  on  here  for  thirty 
years,  until  the  Boxer  destructions.  The  North  Chapel 
and  the  country  work  at  Cho  Chou  were  in  charge  of  the 
younger  members  of  the  station. 

Dr.  Blodget  had  the  satisfaction  of  laying  these 
broad  foundations,  of  welcoming  many  fellow  work- 
ers of  many  denominations  and  of  seeing  a  contin- 
uous expansion  of  the  several  missions  in  ef&cacy 
and  advancing  success.  It  was  into  the  goodly  fellow- 
ship of  kindred  and  sympathetic  workers  that  Mr. 
Ament  was  now  to  come.  He  was  to  develop  and 
strengthen  such  fellowship  through  many  years  of  ardent 
service. 


60  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Tientsin,  May  21,  1880. 
W.  S.  Ament  to  Dr.  Clark  : 

We  have  been  the  recipients  of  several  letters  from  you 
for  which  we  are  very  grateful.  Mrs.  Ament's  health  has  been 
very  much  improved  by  the  pure  air  and  her  pleasant  surround- 
ings in  Tientsin.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stanley  have  done  all  that 
Christian  kindness  could  suggest  to  make  her  visit  profitable 
and  agreeable.  However  we  have  been  unable  to  repress  a 
sensation  of  homelessness. 

On  all  sides  it  has  been  generally  decided  that  it  would  be 
extremely  unwise  for  Mrs.  Ament  to  attempt  to  live  in  Pao  Ting 
Fu  again,  at  least  for  a  term  of  years.  Say  what  we  may,  life  in 
an  interior  station  in  China  is  much  harder  than  in  a  port  or 
any  place  where  foreigners  are  more  numerous. 

I  certainly  should  hesitate  a  long  period  before  I  left  the 
station  of  my  first  settlement  and  first  affection,  only  as  I  am 
compelled  by  dire  necessity. 

Providentially,  as  it  seemed,  Mr.  Roberts  had  conceived  a 
very  strong  desire  to  be  removed  to  an  inland  station.  Ac- 
cording to  his  request  the  mission  transferred  him  and  his 
family  to  Kalgan  and  myself  and  wife  to  Peking.  In  Peking 
Mrs.  Ament  will  be  able  to  obtain  good  medical  aid  close  at 
hand,  and  can  also  secure  certain  things  necessary  to  her  re- 
covery but  impossible  to  secure  in  Pao  Ting  Fu.  I  assure  you 
we  heartily  rejoice  in  the  prospect  of  again  settling  in  our  own 
home,  and  especially  that  I  can  once  more  resume  my  long 
neglected  studies.  In  leaving  Pao  Ting  Fu  we  are  glad  that 
Mr.  Pierson  is  not  to  be  left  alone. 

Ta   Chueh  Ssu  (^twenty-five  miles   northwest 
of  Peking,  among  the  hills'),  July  20,  1880. 
My  dear  Mother  : 

Mary  and  I  reached  Peking  the  3d  of  July.  She  endured 
the  journey  much  better  than  we  feared,  but  summer  life  in  hot 
Peking  soon  exhausted  her  strength.  It  was  a  refreshing  sensa- 
tion to  think  that  we  were  in  our  own  home.  As  Miss  Chapin 
has  her  house  in  process  of  repair,  she  has  taken  temporary 
possession  of  ours  and  will  care  for  it  until  we  return  from  the 
hills.  Mary  cannot  endure,  even  for  a  day,  the  hot  stifling  air 
of  a  Chinese  city,  so  with  most  of  the  foreigners  we  made  ar- 
rangements to  escape  for  our  lives.  Mr.  Noble,  our  mission 
treasurer  and  business  manager,  had  already  engaged  a  place 


THE  NORTH  CHINA  MISSION  61 

for  us  with  his  own  family  in  a  large  Buddhist  temple,  whose 
name  is  at  the  head  of  this  letter.  Mary  was  carried  all  the 
way  in  a  chair  by  six  men,  but  was  very  much  worn  out  as  it 
took  from  7  :  30  a.  m.  till  5  p.  M.  Part  of  the  way  was  very 
hot  and  she  was  carried  through  small  mountain  torrents. 
Part  of  the  way  was  very  rocky,  and  the  men  were  so  careless 
that  occasionally  her  chair  would  strike  a  rock  and  she  would 
receive  quite  a  shock. 

July  26th. — Mary  and  I  are  gradually  recovering  in  our  moun- 
tain home,  and  this  afternoon,  feeling  more  vigorous,  we 
climbed  to  a  little  Buddhist  summer-house  in  the  rear  of  the 
temple,  where  we  reach  the  highest  point  possible  on  the 
grounds.  We  find  the  rear  walls  covered  with  delicate  moss 
and  several  varieties  of  fern.  It  is  a  beautiful  spot  and  a  de- 
lightful change  from  the  dreary  city  and  plain.  A  few  gray 
squirrels  frisk  about  on  the  trees.  The  kind  priests  have 
scruples  against  killing  them. 

The  temple  grounds  are  kept  pure  and  fresh  by  perpetual 
streams  of  mountain  water  which  is  conducted  in  every  direc- 
tion by  stone  troughs.  In  two  places  large  ponds  have  been 
constructed  into  which  the  water  is  poured  through  two  huge 
dragon  mouths.  In  these  ponds  grow  the  lotus  plant,  emblem 
of  Buddha.  All  kinds  of  fish  are  there.  At  the  base  of  the 
mountains  are  kept  the  sacred  hogs,  huge,  black,  dirty 
creatures,  which  are  never  killed,  but  when  they  have  died, 
are  eaten  by  the  priests,  who  eat  no  meat  except  this  sacred 
pork.  At  stated  intervals  the  priests  enter  the  largest  building 
in  the  whole  enclosure,  and  beat  the  drums  and  chant  most 
monotonously  their  sacred  books.  The  temple  is  dimly  lighted 
with  bean  oil  lamps,  and  the  priests,  in  yellow  garments,  beat- 
ing cymbals,  striking  resonant  wood,  make  an  impressive  scene. 
The  poor  priests  who  go  through  the  same  rigmarole  year  after 
year,  bowing  down  to  the  same  mud  idols,  with  a  little  gilt 
stuck  on,  must  lead  very  dismal  lives.  But  I  suppose  they  are 
animated  by  the  hope  of  an  immortality  of  nonentity  in  the 
Western  Heavens,  where  Buddha  lives. 

Shanghai^  Sept.  7,  1880. 
W.  S.  Ament  to  Dr.  Clark  : 

I  regret  very  much  that  I  am  compelled  to  write  to  you 
under  these  circumstances  so  far  from  my  field  of  labor.  It  is 
the  unanimous  opinion  of  the  mission,  as  well  as  of  the  phy- 


62  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

sicians  acquainted  with  Mrs.  Ament's  case,  that  she  ought  to 
return  to  America  for  a  change  of  climate  as  well  as  better 
medical  treatment.  I  enclose  to  you  the  professional  opinion 
of  Drs.  Porter  and  Atterbury.  The  circular  motion  started  by 
Dr.  Blodget  and  signed  by  all  the  missionaries  will  be  sent  to 
you  by  the  secretary,  Mr.  Chapin.  We  are  very  sorry  that  we 
were  not  able  to  communicate  with  you  before  the  decision  was 
made,  but  as  the  suggestion  of  Mrs.  Ament's  return  to  the 
United  States  came  wholly  from  the  physicians  and  not  from 
ourselves,  we  dared  not  delay  when  their  opinion  was  pub- 
licly made  known.  It  seemed  best  for  me  to  accompany  Mrs. 
Ament  to  Shanghai,  the  worst  half  of  her  journey.  From  this 
place  she  will  have  the  company  of  missionaries  return mg 
home. 

Peking,  Oct.  i,  1880. 
My  dear  Mother  : 

I  am  once  more  in  my  own  home,  and  settled  in  my 
own  study  and  writing  at  my  own  standing  desk.  I  shipped 
our  darling  Mary  at  Shanghai,  September  9th,  for  America. 
Before  this  letter  reaches  you,  you  may  have  seen  her  and  have 
heard  from  her  own  lips  the  story  of  her  trip.  Arrived  at 
Tientsin,  I  took,  by  the  aid  of  friends,  the  four  days'  ride  up 
the  river  to  Tung-chow,  where  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goodrich  just 
melted  my  heart  by  their  goodness.  I  have  worked  very  hard 
since  my  arrival  and  shall  soon  consider  myself  settled.  I 
occupy  my  whole  house  alone  and  find  it  none  too  large.  I 
have  my  study  in  my  former  sitting-room  and  have  it  arranged 
very  comfortably.  My  good  horse  James  carries  me  out  for  a 
daily  ride  and  to  my  chapel.  The  exercise  seems  to  invigorate 
me  very  much. 

The  commissioners  to  make  the  new  treaty  with  the  Chinese 
are  in  Peking  preparing  for  their  great  undertaking.  One  is  a 
Californian,  and  a  hater  of  the  Chinese,  but  the  other  two  are 
favorably  disposed.  Rumors  of  war  with  Russia  still  fill  the 
air  and  the  people  are  growing  distrustful  of  foreigners.  We 
expect  our  new  recruits  in  a  few  days,  nine  people,  all  for 
North  China. 

I  suppose  by  this  time  Claribel  and  my  nephew  are  gone  to 
the  far  West.  To-day  I  go  to  make  a  call  of  welcome  on  Mrs. 
Angell  and  her  daughter.  Custom  is  very  rigid  in  certain  lines 
among  foreigners  here. 


THE  NORTH  CHINA  MISSION  63 

I  was  pleased  to  find  that  one  man,  an  old  teacher,  who  had 
heard  the  Gospel  for  the  first  time  in  my  chapel,  had  decided  to 
renounce  Confucianism  and  to  become  a  Christian.  He  is 
very  old  and  saturated  with  superstition  and  yet  I  think  he  is 
in  earnest.  Work  is  very  slow  and  discouraging  in  the  large 
cities,  but  in  the  country  we  have  very  favorable  prospects. 
Our  helper  returns  and  reports  a  large  number  who  wish 
baptism. 

Ever  in  increasing  affection, 

Your  son, 

W.  S.  Ament. 


Piking y  Jan.  j,  1881. 
My  dear  Sister  : 

Ages  have  rolled  away  since  I  last  wrote  you.  I  have 
seen  more  and  experienced  more  during  that  time  than  in  any 
period  of  my  life.  As  you  doubtless  know  I  am  in  my  solitary 
home,  only  waiting  for  some  favorable  breeze  to  blow  my  Mary 
back  to  me.  Mission  life  has  been  no  romance  to  her.  She 
has  left  behind  her  a  reputation  for  completeness  of  character 
and  brightness  in  intellect  second  to  no  woman  who  ever  came 
to  China.  She  writes  very  hopefully  from  Cleveland,  and  I 
have  some  expectation  that  she  will  return  next  fall.  Your 
first  letter  from  Montana  reached  me  some  weeks  ago.  I  was 
in  the  country,  several  days'  journey  from  any  foreigner,  except 
Roman  Catholic  priests,  who  do  not  seem  to  enjoy  my  society. 
They  have  erected  a  fine  cathedral  only  a  few  miles  from  my 
country  station,  where  there  are  at  present  over  twenty  French- 
men, mostly  Jesuits,  driven  out  of  France,  doubtless  by  Jules 
Ferry's  educational  bill.  I  have  just  returned  from  the  longest 
tour  I  have  made  in  China,  being  absent  from  Peking  over  six 
weeks.  Most  of  the  time  I  spent  in  the  region  of  Hsien  Hsien, 
where  I  have  quite  a  remarkable  opening.  I  have  a  nice  little 
chapel  there,  also  a  school  of  nine  boys  and  a  very  hopeful 
company  of  girls  and  women.  So  you  see  the  foundation 
seems  to  be  laid  for  a  successful  work.  I  find  in  China,  as 
elsewhere,  that  no  work  permanently  prospers  unless  there  are 
women  engaged  in  it.  After  spending  some  weeks  here  I  went 
to  the  province  south  of  us.  Shantung.  I  spent  a  short  time 
helping  Mr.  Smith  in  his  large  and  flourishing  work  there.  He 
has  several  hundred  members  and  scores  of  inquirers.     Shan- 


64  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

tung  is  Confucius'  native  province  and  is  superior  in  material 
resources,  as  well  as  in  the  intelligence  of  the  people,  to  Chihli. 
The  Gospel  has  met  with  its  greatest  successes  there.  The 
Presbyterians  and  Methodists^  have  thousands  of  members. 
After  I  escorted  Mary  to  Shanghai  last  September,  I  escorted 
our  new  members  to  Kalgan,  our  most  northerly  station,  situated 
on  the  boundary  between  China  and  Mongolia.  I  rode  my 
pony  up  to  the  high  plateaus  of  Mongolia,  a  most  charming 
journey,  over  mountains  that  almost  equal  the  Rockies  in  rug- 
gedness.  I  met  a  real  dust  storm  on  the  plains  which  almost 
buried  me  alive.  From  Mongolia  we  descended  to  Peking, 
via  Nankou,  one  of  the  most  picturesque  places  in  North  China. 
I  have  ridden  my  pony  almost  daily  the  past  three  months,  in 
touring,  having  travelled  about  i,ooo  English  miles.  As  a  re- 
sult I  find  myself  in  better  health  than  at  any  previous  time. 
I  will  send  you  some  books  for  your  cooks.  I  suppose  the 
Chinese  which  they  speak  is  as  different  from  Pekingese  as 
Choctaw. 

The  new  treaties  have  just  been  signed  at  Peking  and  two 
of  the  high  commissioners  have  returned  to  America.  Dr. 
Angell,  President  of  Michigan  University,  is  still  here,  and  a 
great  addition  himself  and  his  family  are  to  all  classes  in 
society.  Alex's  and  mother's  picture  is  before  me.  I  greatly 
delight  in  looking  at  them.  Dear  little  man  !  I  should  Hke  to 
see  him.  I  shall  try  and  get  for  him  some  cute  little  Chinese 
garments.  I  now  hope  to  remain  in  one  place  a  greater  length 
of  time  than  for  two  years  previously,  so  that  I  can  accom- 
plish some  of  my  long  cherished  schemes. 

Your  brother, 

W.  S.  Ament. 


The  treaty  referred  to  in  this  letter  to  his  sister  was 
one  full  of  the  deepest  diplomatic  interest.  The  Bur- 
lingame  Treaty  of  1868,  which  first  opened  China  to 
genuine  diplomatic  intercourse  with  Western  nations, 
laid  down  the  principle  that  intercourse  should  be  in  all 
respects  reciprocal,  and  that  free  emigration  was  the 
settled  habit  of  all  Occidental  nations.  The  great  in- 
crease of  the  Chinese  in  California  and  their  varied  suc- 
^  Intended  for  English  Methodists  at  Lao  Ling  District. 


THE  NORTH  CHINA  MISSION  65 

cesses  had  aroused  the  sand-lotters  of  San  Francisco  to  a 
high  degree  of  resistance.  There  was  a  determined  effort 
to  secure  restriction,  as  much  as  possible.  The  three 
commissioners,  while  differing  among  themselves  as  to 
the  amount  of  limitation,  nevertheless  were  able  to  make 
a  reasonable  compromise.  The  courteous  and  affable 
President  Angell  secured  all  that  could  at  that  time 
have  been  expected.  He  remained  as  United  States 
minister  through  the  year,  returning  via  Europe,  in 
September,  1881. 

An  interesting  and  important  change  in  Mr.  Ament's 
relation  to  the  station  work  opened  before  him  in  the 
early  spring  time  of  this  year.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Blodget 
had  filled  out  a  ten  years'  service  and  a  deserved  fur- 
lough was  awaiting  them.  During  this  service  much  of 
Dr.  Blodget' s  time  had  been  devoted  to  enriching  the 
literature  of  the  church  service.  IMany  choice  and 
beautiful  hymns  had  been  translated.  One  of  the  wise 
critics  of  Chinese  style  had  said  :  '^  While  Dr.  Blodget 
lives  there  would  be  no  need  of  any  other  translator  of 
our  church  hymnology."  The  Rev.  Chauncey  Goodrich, 
another  choice  expert,  especially  in  the  newer  and  more 
lyrical  qualities  of  our  evangelical  hymns,  was  associated 
in  this  service.  Mr.  Ament  was  thus  in  the  sole  charge 
of  the  general  station  work.  This  involved  the  weekly 
service  in  the  South  Church,  with  its  full  congregation 
and  its  Sunday-school  and  daily  street  chapel  work. 
Into  the  care  of  these  and  the  oversight  of  the  enlarging 
country  station  work  he  entered  with  a  quick  enthu- 
siasm. 

Peking^  Jan.  7,  1881. 
W.  S.  Ament  to  Dr.  Clark  : 

After  a  long  tour  of  over  six  weeks  to  the  regions 
south  of  Peking  and  also  in  Shantung,  I  found  myself  once 
more  in  my  own  home.     Some  of  the  events  and  results  of  that 


66  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

visit  I  will  now  endeavor  to  relate  to  you.  You  learned  about 
a  year  ago  of  the  providential  opening  in  Hsien  Hsien  dis- 
trict— how  one  man  fleeing  to  Peking  to  escape  starvation  ac- 
cepted the  truth,  as  it  is  in  Christ,  in  our  street  chapel,  was 
baptized  with  all  his  family,  returned  to  his  native  home  and 
entered  vigorously  upon  the  work  of  leading  his  friends  and 
relatives  to  the  same  fountain  of  life.  He  has  succeeded  be- 
yond our  highest  expectations.  It  is  certainly  a  pleasure  to 
meet  this  man,  always  bright  and  active  in  the  Lord's  work. 
Only  four  visits  have  been  made  to  this  place  as  yet  by  the 
foreign  missionaries,  but  observe  the  results — where  only  one 
year  ago  one  man  welcomed  Mr.  Roberts  in  his  first  visit,  now 
a  village  is  found  permeated  with  Christian  truth,  a  church  of 
over  twenty  members  exists  with  an  interesting  school  at- 
tached. A  large  schoolroom  owned  by  a  rich  man,  not  a 
church-member,  serves  us  for  a  chapel  and  is  offered  for  our 
use  free  of  charge.  Two  or  three  daily  meetings  were  held  in 
this  chapel  with  a  continual  increase  in  numbers  and  interest 
during  the  nearly  three  weeks  spent  among  them.  Excepting 
one,  all  the  male  members  of  the  church  are  able  to  read,  it 
having  been  made  one  condition  of  admittance  that  candidates 
should  be  able  to  read  at  least  the  Lord's  Prayer  and  the  Ten 
Commandments.  Many  having  made  a  beginning  in  this  way 
have  gone  on  to  a  considerable  degree  of  excellence  in  reading 
the  Scriptures.  But  singing  is  the  specialty  in  this  company  of 
Christians.  Sing  they  must  and  will.  If  they  do  not  know  the 
proper  tune  they  make  one  for  themselves.  If  volume  of  sound  or 
noise  and  energy  are  the  essentials  of  good  singing,  they  surely 
are  a  success.  Owing  to  the  efforts  of  one  of  our  young  men 
from  Tung-chow,  they  have  become  acquainted  with  many 
hymns  and  sing  very  well,  their  chief  chorister  being  one  of  our 
schoolboys  about  twelve  years  of  age. 

During  my  visit  to  Hsien  Hsien  I  took  the  opportunity  to 
call  upon  the  Jesuits  in  their  fine  cathedral  and  residence  just 
east  of  the  district  city.  Sending  in  my  card  I  was  received  by 
a  reverend  priest  evidently  a  veteran  in  the  service.  He 
ushered  me  into  a  large,  fine  reception  hall  but  refused  to  an- 
swer questions  concerning  their  work  or  to  allow  me  to  visit 
their  schools  of  which  there  are  several  on  the  place.  There 
are  over  twenty  French  priests  at  this  cathedral ;  some  of  them 
are  recent  arrivals,  evidently  from  among  the  number  driven 
QUt  of  France  by  the  operation  of  the  Educational  Bill, 


THE  NORTH  CHINA  MISSION  67 

Peking^  Aug.  i6,  1881. 
W.  S.  Ament  to  Dr.  Clark  : 

Mrs.  Ament  writes  of  her  most  pleasant  visit  in  the  East 
and  her  last  letter  says,  *'I  am  well." 

I  was  very  much  afraid  after  Dr.  Blodget's  departure  that  the 
native  brethren  would  be  loth  to  welcome  a  new  and  inex- 
perienced pastor.  In  this  respect  I  have  been  happily  disap- 
pointed. They  have  given  me  an  enthusiastic  and  cordial  sup- 
port from  the  first,  and  have  seemed  to  appreciate  the  fact  that, 
as  now  their  old  pastor  was  gone,  the  prosperity  of  the  church 
would  depend  largely  upon  themselves.  I  have  been  very  care- 
ful to  encourage  and  not  weaken  this  impression.  As  a  result 
our  Sabbath  audiences  have  been  larger  than  I  ever  knew  them 
to  be  before.  There  are  three  men  from  the  city  applicants  for 
baptism.  The  Sabbath-school  is  the  most  interesting  feature  of 
our  work.  We  have  made  a  special  effort  to  reach  our  neigh- 
bors who  hitherto  have  given  little  attention  to  any  invitations, 
but  now  it  is  not  uncommon  to  see  our  chapel  filled  to  its 
limits.  It  is  certainly  a  pleasant  sight  to  see  so  many  boys  and 
girls  who  are  beginning  to  be  regular  attendants.  Since 
annual  meeting  I  have  made  one  short  tour  over  a  new  route 
(northeast)  seldom  frequented  by  foreigners.  The  weather  was 
extremely  hot  and  the  roads  almost  impassable.  I  succeeded  in 
disposing  of  a  goodly  number  of  books  and  in  some  places  met 
with  a  very  flattering  reception.  I  met  many  Mohammedans 
who  all  seemed  very  anxious  that  I  should  meet  their  Ah 
Hung.  I  finally  met  one,  a  kindly  old  man,  who  showed  his 
conscientiousness  in  carrying  oft'  a  book  which  he  forgot  to  pay 
for  !  The  country  afforded  the  enjoyment  of  the  most  beauti- 
ful scenery  I  had  yet  seen  in  China  and  is  indeed  a  royal  road 
to  the  Emperor's  hunting  parks  in  Manchuria.  In  view  of  the 
fact  that  no  other  mission  has  any  established  work  in  that 
region  I  think  it  affords  a  fine  field  for  future  work. 


Mrs.  Ament  in  the  summer  of  1881  was  preparing  for 
her  return  to  China.  She  had  been  fortunate  in  her  choice 
of  physicians  and  had  gained  rapidly.  On  the  17th  of 
August,  Madam  Ament  writes  to  a  friend  that  her 
daughter,  Mary,  had  left  a  week  before.  Her  own 
daughter,  Mrs,  Leggat,  bad  gone  to  Montana  the  year 


68  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

previous.  It  seemed  a  strange  providence  that  about  this 
time  took  away  the  beloved  sister  of  Mr.  Ament,  leaving 
a  son  and  daughter,  whose  care  must  now  devolve  on 
Madam  Ament.  The  following  extracts  will  show  how 
one  brave  heart  in  sorrow  tries  to  comfort  a  mother  in  her 
distress. 


Peking,  Oct.  ji,  1881. 
Beloved  Mother  : 

The  first  mail  since  Mary's  arrival  has  come  with  its  sad 
letter  from  my  "  weeping  mother."  I  cannot  tell  you  how  sick 
at  heart  I  have  felt  since  then,  nor  how  much  I  have  wanted  to 
be  with  you  and  help  you  at  this  time  of  trial ;  how  I  have 
prayed  that  you  might  not  be  overcome  by  your  grief,  but 
"cast  your  all  upon  Him  who  careth  for  you."  Mrs.  Baldwin 
wrote  a  postcript  to  your  letter  of  September  ist,  telling  us  that 
Claribel  was  gone  and  her  little  children  are  motherless. 

She  was  a  good  sister  to  me  and  I  never  half  appreciated  her 
real  worth.  But  now  it  all  comes  up  before  me  in  the  true 
light.  What  a  happy,  joyous  spirit  she  had  !  Best  of  all,  she 
loved  her  mother  as  few  daughters  have  and  was  kind  and  con- 
siderate to  the  last.  Her  influence  will  live  in  all  the  places 
where  she  was  known.  Dear  mother,  do  not  give  way  to  grief. 
God  knows  and  only  knows,  how  your  motherly  heart  has  been 
wrenched,  but  still  God  is  great  and  God  is  good.  So  let  us 
be  brave  and  patient  until  the  day  when  we  shall  all  see  each 
other  face  to  face.  That  day  is  not  far  distant  from  any  one  of 
us,  and  he  who  is  with  the  Master  first  is  most  blessed. 

Mary  and  I  are  nicely  settled  in  our  new  home.  She 
brought  many  pretty  things  with  her  and  I  think  we  have  the 
coziest  home !  Mary  seems  as  strong  as  when  she  came  to  China, 
though  not  quite  so  enduring.  I  shall  try  and  be  careful  of  her 
and  trust  we  both  may  have  a  long  home  life  before  us.  But 
in  China  one  must  hold  everything  lightly,  as  it  may  be  taken 
away  at  any  moment.  Our  work  has  been  progressing  finely. 
I  expect  to  go  into  the  country  soon.  The  missionary  for  our 
new  mission  in  Shansi  has  arrived  and  will  spend  the  winter  at 
Tung-chow.  (This  was  Rev.  M.  L.  Stimson,  the  first  of  the 
Oberlin  Shansi  Band.)  '" 

I  will  write  to  Mr.  Leggat  by  this  mail.     Surely  this  afflic- 


THE  NORTH  CHINA  MISSION  69 

tion   must   fall   most   heavily  on    him.     He   has   my  deepest 
sympathy. 

Your  son, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

The  return  of  Mrs.  Ament  was  a  happy  event,  not  only 
for  Mr.  Ament,  but  for  the  other  members  of  the  station. 
Each  of  the  houses  of  the  compound  was  now  occupied 
and  each  was  a  centre  of  established  work.  The  Aments 
occupied  the  south  or  front  building,  with  its  pleasant 
outlook  upon  old  and  famous  acacia  trees  and  pretty 
shrubbery.  It  is  of  this  home  that  he  speaks  as  being 
^*  the  coziest  in  Peking." 

A  letter  to  Dr.  N.  G.  Clark  will  begin  the  story  of  the 
work  in  its  unfolding. 

Peking,  Jan.  2j,  1882. 

In  Peking  we  are  beginning  to  see  some  of  the  results  of 
the  last  decade  of  work.  One  of  the  most  encouraging 
features  is  the  fact  that  our  neighbors  begin  to  take  a  little 
notice  of  our  existence  in  other  ways  than  by  reviling  us.  It 
was  only  yesterday  that  a  young  man,  son  of  a  prominent  offi- 
cial, desired  to  purchase  a  Bible  and  with  an  air  of  genuine 
sincerity  requested  instruction  in  our  teaching.  Yesterday  also 
a  literary  graduate,  teacher  in  a  neighboring  gentleman's 
family,  came  and  drawing  a  Mark's  Gospel  from  his  sleeve 
wished  to  have  it  explained.  He  went  away  expressing  a  pur- 
pose to  examine  its  contents  still  further. 

We  have  in  our  employ  a  colporteur  whom  we  have  been 
wont  to  regard  as  more  desirous  to  draw  the  Bible  Society's 
money  than  to  sell  their  books.  However  to  the  surprise  of  all 
he  returned  from  a  country  trip  a  short  time  ago  and  stated 
that  a  little  revival  was  in  progress  in  a  village  where  he  had 
been  preaching.  We  were  well  aware  that  the  officials  had 
been  making  efforts  to  stamp  out  a  certain  false  rehgion  under 
the  ban  of  the  government  and  were  fearful  lest  his  inquirers 
only  desired  the  foreigner's  protection.  But  this  has  not 
proved  to  be  the  case,  as  was  shown  by  his  bringing  to  light  two 
young  literary  men  who  were  willing  to  begin  a  systematic 
study  of  the  Bible.     They  have  joined  our  winter  station  class 


YO  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

and  thus  far  have  proved  themselves  worthy  of  confidence. 
The  class  now  numbers  nine  men,  three  of  whom  have  been 
school-teachers.  Their  principal  work  so  far  has  been  upon 
the  ''  Life  of  Christ  and  the  Evidences  of  Christianity." 

Pekingy  March  j,  1882. 
My  dear  Mother  : 

We  have  been  favored  with  two  letters  from  you  by  the 
last  mail.  One  came  by  Russia  and  has  been  almost  four 
months  on  the  way.  I  was  very  glad  to  hear,  however  late  the 
letter  was.  Mr.  Leggat  has  long  ago  reached  you,  and  with 
him,  I  presume,  the  two  darlings  (his  nephew  Alex  and  the 
baby  Claribel).  Your  hands  and  heart  will  be  full  in  caring  for 
these  treasures.  Claribel  was  a  daughter  to  be  proud  of,  and 
if  she  has  gone  to  heaven  a  little  earlier  than  most  of  her  com- 
rades, should  we  be  unduly  depressed  ?  Mr.  Leggat's  home  is 
broken  up,  but  his  children  are  taken  to  one,  next  to  their  own 
mother,  who  is  the  best  person  to  care  for  them.  My  heart 
bleeds  for  Mr.  Leggat,  but  I  think  we  wrong  our  own  souls 
when  we  practically  accuse  God  of  injustice  in  His  dealings 
with  us.  If  our  religion  is  worth  anything,  it  should  keep  us 
in  such  cases  as  this.  I  am  not  the  one  to  preach  to  so  good 
and  true  a  mother  as  you  are,  but  I  do  think  I  have  learned  a 
few  things  since  I  came  to  China  which  no  mother  in  America 
could  have  taught  me. 

Mary  and  I  spent  three  days  last  week  at  Tung-chow  with 
the  Goodriches,  Sheffields  and  Chapins.  We  leave  for  the 
country  soon  for  a  long  trip.  We  are  in  good  health  and  our 
work  is  in  a  good  condition.  The  Methodists  hope  to  establish 
a  college  in  Peking. 

Good-bye  and  God  bless  you,  dear  mother. 


Concentrate  your  soul  on  this  burning  present 
moment.  For  the  man  who  is  true  to  the  pres- 
ent is  true  to  his  best ;  and  the  soul  that  wins 
the  ground  immediately  before  it  makes  life  a 
triumph. 

— O.  S.  Davis. 

V 

LIFE  IN   PEKING 

Peking,  July  7,  1882. 

I  AM  just  starting  on  a  little  tour  to  visit  two  young  literary- 
men  of  whom  I  wrote  some  months  ago.  I  hear  very- 
good  reports  of  their  constancy.  I  am  sorry  that  one  of 
them  is  in  very  poor  health  and  evidently  is  not  long  for 
this  world.  The  other  teacher  is  not  so  satisfactory  as  a  Chris- 
tian though  a  man  of  more  force  and  courage.  No  foreigner 
has  ever  visited  their  village  and  the  young  men  have  had  to 
endure  some  persecution.  I  hope  my  visit  may  help  to  dis- 
sipate the  prejudices  of  the  people.  .  .  .  The  Peking  sta- 
tion has  a  growing  country  work  of  wide  dimensions.  We 
have  two  street  chapels  in  the  city  which  can  be  filled  daily  the 
year  around.  We  have  the  only  country  out-stations  which 
have  even  discussed  the  question  of  self-support.  I  desire  very 
7nuch  to  see  our  little  centres  of  work  coming  up  to  the  point  of 
self-support.  In  order  to  that  a  missionary  must  spend  much 
time  and  do  much  faithful  work  in  the  country.  Touring  in 
North  China  means  a  fearful  expenditure  of  time  and  strength. 
There  are  many  other  things  I  would  like  to  say  upon  mission 
and  station  affairs,  but  I  await  a  more  favorable  opportunity. 

Pu  An  Tun,  July  g,  1882. 
Dear  Mother  : 

I  have  never  written  you  concerning  this  place  and  I 
myself  did  not  know  of  it  till  a  short  time  ago.  I  am  in  a 
Taoist  temple.  I  had  supposed  that  all  the  temples  were  Bud- 
dhist or  Confucian,  and  that  the  Taoists  were  a  class  of  specu- 
lative philosophers  who  had  no  permanent  abiding  place.  But 
I  was  mistaken.  Taoist  priests  do  not  shave  the  entire  head, 
but  do  up  their  hair  after  the  ancient  fashion,  hence  they  can 
be  easily  recognized.  No  one  can  find  out  exactly  what  their 
ideas  of  worship  are,  and  it  is  a  question  whether  they  know 
themselves.     The  priest  in  the  temple  where  I  am  at  present 

71 


72  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

threatened  to  put  an  end  to  his  own  life  if  I  tried  to  put  up 
here.  There  are  a  few  brethren  in  the  village  and  to-day  a 
new  man  came.  I  baptized  him  last  summer  and  I  have 
thought  all  along  that  he  would  make  a  good  preacher.  This 
is  quite  an  interesting  village  with  an  unusual  number  who  can 
read.  The  village  well  is  near  the  temple  where  I  am,  and  so 
I  am  the  centre  of  attraction.  Without  the  temple  are  some 
fine  old  trees,  and  around  the  well  under  the  trees  six  or  eight 
men  are  sound  asleep,  in  the  midday;  the  crops  about  are 
dying  for  want  of  rain,  a  sad  sight,  since  they  had  such  a  fine 
start  in  the  spring  but  now  are  drying  up.  Everything  seems 
to  work  against  China.  Even  the  heavens  seem  to  dry  up 
their  sources  of  life. 

This  is  perhaps  the  first  tour  I  ever  made  when  I  was  wholly 
unprovided  with  foreign  food  of  any  kind.  In  this  village  we 
have  been  obliged  to  buy  our  own  rice  and  the  two  brethren 
and  I  eat  together.  Usually  a  ripe  peach  can  be  found  which 
makes  up  for  deficiency  in  other  things.  I  am  the  first  for- 
eigner that  has  ever  visited  this  place,  hence  the  great  curi- 
osity. I  am  glad  to  leave  the  great  road  occasionally.  The 
people  are  more  frank  and  generous,  and  preaching  to  them  is 
much  easier  than  on  the  familiar  routes.  As  the  sun  was  set- 
ting the  villagers  began  to  gather  in  the  temple  court,  and 
benches  used  at  feasts  were  brought  out  for  them.  I  preached 
and  talked  till  my  throat  was  tired  and  my  head  dizzy.  There 
are  three  men  here  whom  I  look  upon  as  hopeful  inquirers.  I 
am  agitating  the  question  of  starting  a  free  school  here. 

Monday,  July  loth. — Three  of  us  started  for  the  market  at 
Tou  Tien,  where  we  hoped  to  sell  books.  We  first  ate  our 
breakfast  at  a  tea  shop,  consisting  of  a  bowl  of  dough  and  soup, 
a  plate  of  chopped  mutton  and  some  wheaten  cakes.  While 
eating  a  man  came  in  and  inquired  of  our  whereabouts  and  our 
doings.  I  judged  from  his  appearance  that  he  was  a  captain 
of  a  few  soldiers  appointed  to  guard  the  great  road.  The 
streets  of  Tou  Tien  were  lined  with  little  merchants  selling 
hemp  to  make  shoes,  also  paper  for  these  soles,  old  iron,  cloth, 
candy  and  everything  conceivable,  from  a  native  point  of  view. 
As  I  had  purchased  no  standing  place  from  the  head  men  of  the 
fair,  these  little  merchants  were  unwilling  that  I  should  block 
the  way.  One  old  man  finally  dropped  me  as  a  hard  case  and 
began  beseeching  the  crowd  to  leave  me  with  my  books.  He 
only  succeeded  in  attracting  the  attention  to  me  of  some  who 


LIFE  IN  PEKING  73 

would  not  otherwise  have  passed  by.  We  made  a  very  suc- 
cessful sale  and  returned  to  the  inn  in  about  two  hours.  On 
the  way  home  I  stopped  by  a  well  for  a  drink  of  cold  water  and 
had  a  pleasant  talk  with  the  villagers.  The  Chinese  are  a  so- 
cial people  and  when  they  are  not  blinded  by  prejudice  are  po- 
lite and  interesting. 

Wednesday,  July  12th. — We  came  yesterday  among  the 
mountains,  and  to-day  are  at  the  city  of  Fang  Shan,  that  is 
*' House  Mountain."  The  roads  are  almost  impassable  from 
the  heavy  rains.  My  object  in  coming  to  the  mountain  city 
was  to  visit  the  coal  mines  and  several  celebrated  caves. 

Thursday. — Yesterday  the  rain  stopped  and  we  decided  to 
move  on.  I  thought  I  could  better  spend  my  time  roaming 
over  the  mountains,  since  the  market  fair  was  small.  Brother 
Tuan  and  I  started  for  the  <' Temple  of  Ten  Thousand  Bud- 
dhas,"  where  there  was  said  to  be  a  cave  thirteen  miles  deep. 
Long  before  we  reached  the  temple  we  met  the  beautiful  stream 
which  flows  from  the  caves.  According  to  tradition  the  water 
of  this  spring  will  produce  a  rainfall  if  proper  prayers  are  made 
to  Buddha.  We  passed  a  procession  of  women  going  to  cele- 
brate the  conclusion  of  the  first  month  of  a  son's  life.  After 
passing  the  procession  we  came  to  the  tomb  of  a  prince  of  the 
imperial  family.  According  to  Chinese  custom  he  had  built  a 
very  fine  tomb  while  still  a  young  man.  However  much 
money  a  prince  spends  on  his  tomb,  no  one  but  himself  and 
his  wife  can  be  buried  in  it,  hence  you  can  imagine  how  many 
beautiful  valleys,  and  even  fruitful  fields  are  occupied  by  the 
tombs  of  the  princes  of  the  empire,  as  each  one  has  his  own 
tomb  with  a  gorgeous  gate  house,  ancestral  temple,  halls,  oc- 
cupying many  acres  of  land.  Tombs  and  temples  fill  the  fairest 
portions  of  China.  Buddhists  and  Taoists  are  shrewd  enough 
to  know  that  the  rich  like  to  visit  such  places.  I  have  never 
yet  heard  of  a  cave  or  spring  at  which  there  was  not  a  temple 
and  a  priest.  **The  Temple  of  Ten  Thousand  Buddhas"  is 
situated  in  a  very  secluded  glen.  The  mouth  of  the  cave,  we 
found,  was  occupied  by  a  large  hall  in  which  there  were  many 
slabs  of  marble  on  which  are  carved  thousands  of  Buddhas' 
heads,  hence  the  name  of  the  temple.  It  is  said  that  the  cave 
runs  clear  through  the  mountain  and  is  known  on  the  other 
side.  An  emperor  ordered  two  men  to  go  through  the  cave 
and  they  are  the  only  ones  who  have  done  so.  The  stupid 
Chinese  had  never  told  me  that  we  could  not  enter  the  cave 


74  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMEXT 

and  all  we  could  do  was  to  stand  and  gaze  at  the  cold  dark 
cavern. 

Peking,  Nov.  25,  1882. 
To  Dr.  N.  G.  Clark  : 

During  the  summer  and  fall  our  Sabbath-school  has 
grown  so  large  that  the  chapel  has  proved  too  narrow  and  we 
have  felt  obliged  to  build  two  good -sized  class  rooms  adjoining 
the  west  gate  of  our  premises.  Because  of  the  large  amount  of 
old  material  on  hand  this  building  was  done  with  small  ex- 
pense. These  rooms  are  occupied  by  Miss  Haven's  class  of 
outside  girls  and  Mrs.  Ament's  class  of  women.  Both  these 
classes  are  steadily  increasing  in  numbers  and  interest  and  bid 
fair  to  be  permanent  additions  to  our  work.  Chapel  preaching 
was  never  more  hopeful.  From  both  our  chapels  additions 
have  been  made  to  our  congregation.  Eleven  men  have  been 
formally  taken  on  as  probationers  and  four  have  been  baptized. 
One  of  these  men  is  worthy  of  a  little  notice.  He  is  the 
head  man  of  a  usury  shop,  whose  business  it  is  well  known  is 
not  conducive  to  piety.  His  capital  of  several  thousands  of 
dollars  is  all  loaned  out  to  Manchu  bannermen,  whose  returns 
are  few  and  far  between.  He  has  resolved  to  close  out  this 
business  as  rapidly  as  possible.  To  show  his  eagerness  to  be 
in  what  he  regards  as  a  business  consistent  with  Christian  prin- 
ciples, he  has  opened  a  small  grain-shop  to  which  he  will  de- 
vote all  his  attention  as  soon  as  his  money  is  paid  back  to  him. 

The  princely  tombs  in  the  beautiful  vaUeys  of  this 
lovely  thougli  rugged  mountain  region,  first  visited  now 
by  Mr.  Ament,  are  but  a  portion  of  the  imperial  Manchu 
burial  places  known  as  the'/ '  Western  Tombs.''  They 
are,  as  suggested,  in  the  district  of  Fang  Shan,  whose 
city  lies  southwest  of  the  larger  district  city  of  Liang 
Hsiang  on  the  great  road.  The  ''Western  Tombs"  are 
the  parallel  to  the  perhaps  finer  "  Eastern  Tombs,"  some 
fifty  miles  east  of  Peking.  It  has  been  the  custom  of  the 
Manchu  dynasty  to  alternate  the  burial  of  their  emperors 
between  the  Eastern  and  the  Western  Hills.  The  Em- 
peror T'  ung  Chih  was  buried  in  a  magnificently  prepared 


LIFE  IN  PEKING  75 

mausolemn  in  the  ^'Eastern  Tombs."  At  the  time  of 
the  building  of  this  tomb  during  the  lifetime  of  the  Em- 
peror an  eye-witness  reports  the  ti-ansport  of  great 
marble  slabs  from  quarries  near  Peking,  which  took  a 
mob  of  some  six  hundred  horses  to  haul  it  to  its  destina- 
tion. 

The  famous  Dowager  Empreas  Tze  Hsi  prepared  both 
her  own  and  her  nephew's  tombs  each  at  an  expense 
verging  on  a  million  of  taels.  The  tomb  of  the  late  Em- 
peror Kuang  Hsu  was  prepared  at  the  Western  Tombs, 
among  these  very  hills  descril)ed  by  Mr.  Ament.  His 
funeral  in  1909  was  a  function  of  remarkable  brilliance, 
followed  a  few  months  later  by  that  of  the  Dowager  Em- 
press herself  in  her  own  tomb  at  the  Eastern  Tombs. 

On  his  return  from  this  summer  trip,  Mr.  Ameut  and 
his  wife  found  rest  and  quiet  amid  the  lovely  hills  and 
temples  west  of  Peking.  The  ladies  and  children  could 
be  there  all  the  time  and  the  missionary  gentlemen  could 
spend  their  Sundays  in  the  city  with  their  congrega- 
tions, and  such  jiart  of  the  week  as  required  their  service. 
It  was  a  great  boon  to  have  so  near  at  hand  such  a  place 
of  escape  from  the  heat  and  dust  of  the  great  city.  In 
the  early  autumn  a  new  joy  came  into  the  home  and 
hearts  of  these  dear  friends.  A  son,  Philip  Wyett,  was 
born  October  21st.  They  who  had  mourned  so  tenderly 
over  the  loss  of  the  little  Margaret,  laid  quietly  away  in 
a  corner  of  the  compound  in  Pao  Ting  Fu,  were  now  to 
rejoice  for  a  few  months  in  a  son.  The  native  Christians 
vied  with  the  foreign  friends  in  their  congratulations  and 
pleasure  in  the  happy  event.  It  was  a  rare  event  indeed 
to  have  a  baby  boy  in  the  old  Teng  Shih  K'ou  compound. 
The  dear  little  son,  who  had  brought  so  much  of  comfort 
and  joy  to  the  Ament  home,  had  perceptibly  wilted  in  the 
unwholesome  air  of  Peking  in  the  early  days  of  the  sum- 
mer following  his  birth.     Subsequent  to  the  annual  mis- 


76  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

sion  meeting  his  parents  had  gone  to  the  hills,  hoping  to 
see  his  early  restoration  to  health,  but  their  hopes  were 
all  in  vain.  The  anxiety  and  the  sorrow  of  his  loss  made 
the  summer  retreat  memorable. 

Temple  of  Peace ^  Western  Hills ,  June  28, 188 J. 
My  dear  Mother  : 

I  told  you  I  would  keep  you  informed  about  any  change 
in  Philip's  condition.  After  I  wrote  you  last  he  seemed  to  im- 
prove a  little  and  we  had  hopes  of  his  recovery.  But  night 
before  last  he  began  to  grow  worse.  We  prevented  convulsions 
by  hot  baths,  but  congestion  of  the  brain  could  not  be  pre- 
vented by  human  means,  and  so  the  dear  little  soul  took  his 
flight  to  God.  Yesterday  noon  Dr.  Peck,  from  Pao  Ting  Fu, 
arrived,  and  we  had  hopes  that  with  his  constant  care  Philip 
would  get  better.  Our  efforts  were  of  no  avail  and  at  half-past 
ten  last  evening  the  27th  he  left  this  world  of  sin  for  the 
brighter  world  above.  His  pain  seemed  to  cease  some  time 
before  his  death  and  his  look  was  calm  and  serene  as  an  angel's. 
He  was  too  pure,  too  good  for  this  world.  His  disease  must 
have  begun  in  the  city,  as  we  now  remember  his  distressed  look 
and  his  occasional  cry  of  pain.  We  fled  to  the  hills  for  life 
and  found  death.  Our  beautiful  darling  is  with  his  Creator. 
Even  the  stolid  heathen  priest  spoke  to  me  of  my  bonnie  boy. 
This  awful  dry  heat  is  fatal  to  so  many  children.  But  he  is 
gone.  It  is  well  with  the  child,  much  better  than  that  he 
should  grow  up  and  fall  away  from  God's  truth.  God  knows 
what  is  best  and  I  resign  myself  to  His  will.  Mary,  of  course, 
knows  the  divine  refuge,  yet  without  her  baby  home  is 
desolate.  He  was  a  darling  cherub.  Don't  weep,  but  pray. 
Your  mourning  son, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

In  the  September  following  Mr.  Ament  and  his  wife 
made  one  of  the  most  memorable  tours  in  this  early  history 
of  their  service  at  Peking. 

Fu  An  Tun,  Sept.  23,  1883. 
Three  days  ago  our  procession  left  Teng  Shih  K'ou.     First 
was  Mary's  chair  which  she  was  to  ride  the  first  stage  of  the 
journey.     I  followed  on  the  lap  of  a  cart  laden  with  bedding 


LIFE  IN  PEKING  77 

and  provision.  There  followed  an  open  cart,  such  as  is  used 
by  farmers,  with  a  reed  mat-roof,  loaded  with  food,  cooking 
utensils,  clothing  for  our  long  journey.  Our  two  servants  and 
the  preacher  helper,  Mr.  Hung,  piled  into  this  cart.  Leaving 
the  city  at  the  southwest,  the  sides  of  the  roads  were  so  full  of 
water  that  we  were  confined  to  the  terrible  stone  road.  We 
spent  the  night  at  Chang  Hsin  Tien,  the  street  of  which  is  two 
miles  long.  The  next  day  we  hastened  on  to  the  small  city 
of  Liang  Hsiang,  exchanging  the  cart  for  five  donkeys  because 
the  mules  were  unable  to  drag  the  cart  through  the  terrible  mud 
holes.  From  Liang  Hsiang  we  struck  into  the  country  to  Pu 
An  Tun,  village  of  ''  Stable  Peace."  Our  two  young  brethren 
met  us  and  took  us  to  the  Taoist  temple  outside  the  village,  as 
being  the  only  comfortable  place  in  the  village.  The  Taoist 
priest  did  not  give  us  a  very  hearty  welcome  though  he  is 
gradually  warming  up  a  little.  Like  all  such  priests  he  is 
ignorant  and  superstitious,  and  he  became  a  priest  because  it 
furnishes  him  with  an  easy  way  of  passing  through  life.  The 
people  are  very  busy  getting  in  the  late  grain.  Some  are 
pounding  the  grain  to  extract  it  from  the  hulls,  some  winnowing 
by  tossing  it  in  the  air.  Chinese  threshing  is  a  long,  laborious 
process.  The  village  is  prettily  embowered  in  a  grove  of 
willows  and  elms. 

Cho  Chou,  Sept.  28th,  140  lifrom  Peking. 

We  were  greatly  rejoiced  when  the  two  stately  pagodas  of 
Cho  Chou  appeared  in  sight.  We  were  fortunate  in  finding  a 
little  court  where  we  could  be  by  ourselves.  We  were  met 
outside  the  city  by  the  only  brother  we  have  in  the  place. 
The  next  morning  he  brought  us  word  that  he  was  living  in  a 
house  occupied  by  a  literary  graduate  of  the  highest  rank 
whose  family  would  be  glad  to  have  Mary  visit  them.  This 
was  a  rare  opportunity  and  a  rare  invitation.  She  was  enter- 
tained in  the  reception  room  of  the  great  man's  house  and  had 
no  lack  of  interested  listeners.  She  was  assisted  by  Brother 
Kao's  wife,  a  Christian  of  good  intelligence.  Mary's  next  in- 
vitation is  to  a  prayer-meeting  with  heathen  women.  On 
Monday  we  left  the  city,  taking  a  grain  boat  for  Pai  Mu  Chiao, 
a  distant  station.  We  found  the  country  everywhere  under 
water,  valuable  land  and  grain  being  destroyed. 

October  19th. — From  Pai  Mu  Chiao  we  started  across  coun- 
try for  Wen  An,  and  found  the  fields  one  vast  sea  of  water, 


78  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

with  villages  sprinkled  here  and  there,  on  high  knolls.  Wen 
An  is  a  district  city.  Two  of  the  gates  were  impassable  be- 
cause of  the  waters  and  the  whole  country  about  was  under 
water,  lake-like  in  appearance.  We  thought  best  to  take  boat 
from  here  to  Tientsin.  There  we  met  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Price, 
from  Oberlin,  en  route  to  the  new  mission  in  Shansi.  Mr. 
Perkins  accompanied  us  to  our  station  Hsien  Hsien  and  return. 
We  arrived  at  Tientsin  October  25th.  During  the  trip  we 
have  seen  phases  of  Chinese  life  never  seen  before  by  us,  and 
have  learned  many  things  that  will  be  of  value.  We  are  thank- 
ful for  good  health  during  the  whole  trip. 

The  following  letter  to  Dr.  Clark  gives  a  succinct  ac- 
count of  the  trip  : 

The  church  at  Pai  Mu  Chiao  had  planned  during  the  present 
year  to  take  some  vigorous  measures  looking  towards  the  erec- 
tion of  a  chapel  of  which  they  are  sadly  in  need.  But  the  flood 
has  interfered  and  their  strength  will  be  exhausted  in  keeping 
the  wolf  from  the  door  during  the  coming  winter. 

At  Wen  An  we  were  greatly  pleased  at  the  reception  given 
us  and  the  general  disposition  of  the  people.  The  Christians 
here  have  been  subject  to  so  many  petty  annoyances  in  times 
past  that  their  progress  has  been  slow,  but  the  situation  is  now 
changed  for  the  better.  Five  intelligent  men  were  received  as 
probationers,  and  the  little  church  is  much  encouraged. 

Again  sailing  over  fields  of  grain  we  reached  our  newest 
station,  the  village  of  Wang  Hsin.  Our  Christians  here  are 
few  in  number  and  weak  in  faith.  There  is  no  well  instructed 
man  among  them  to  act  as  leader  and  their  progress  is  slow. 
However  there  was  here  a  goodly  number  of  applicants  for 
baptism.  On  our  return  from  this  city  to  the  village  of  Wen 
An  we  nearly  had  Paul's  experience  in  the  Adriatic.  A  strong 
gale  from  the  north  raised  the  usually  quiet  waters  of  the  plain 
into  savage  fury  and  our  small  craft  was  nearly  engulfed.  The 
dastardly  cowardice  of  the  farmer  boatmen  greatly  added  to  the 
danger  of  the  situation. 

The  region  about  Wen  An  is  a  paradise  compared  with 
Hsien  Hsien.  Here  the  water  was  deeper  and  the  damage 
more  extensive.  Houses  were  washed  down,  timbers  and 
furniture  carried  away  by  the  waters.  The  people  have  suf- 
fered before  from   flood  and  drought,  but  never  was  their 


LIFE  IN  PEKING  Y9 

misery  so  great  as  now.  It  looks  as  if  a  fierce  tornado  had 
swept  over  the  village  bearing  away  houses  and  uprooting  trees. 
Their  furniture,  dishes,  etc.,  are  a  mass  of  debris  under  the 
ruins  of  the  walls  and  roof.  Some  of  the  people  are  dweUing 
in  rudely  constructed  huts  and  the  remainder  were  crowded 
into  the  few  houses  that  were  left.  The  leading  man  of  the 
church  had  twenty-one  good  rooms  in  his  compound  of  which 
not  one  remains.  During  the  past  year  the  Emperor  has  dis- 
bursed vast  sums  to  the  officials  for  the  repair  of  dykes  and 
embankments  but  the  work  has  been  wholly  neglected.  I  am 
safe  in  estimating  that  at  least  ten  thousand  square  miles  of 
good,  arable  land  is  under  water  and  millions  of  people  are 
depending  on  imperial  bounty  to  keep  them  from  starvation. 
Tribute  grain  is  pouring  into  the  country  in  large  quantities. 
The  elements  seem  to  combine  with  a  depraved  official  class  to 
keep  this  people  in  abject  poverty  and  crush  all  manhood  and 
enterprise  out  of  them.  Our  long  trip  is  ended  and  we  look 
back  with  pleasure  upon  the  friendliness  of  our  reception,  the 
tolerance  towards  a  strange  religion  and  its  teachers,  and  the 
fact  that  the  country  is  wonderfully  open  to  Christianity  so  that 
if  the  number  of  missionaries  was  increased  a  hundredfold  their 
hands  would  still  be  full. 

The  problem  of  the  dutiful  care  of  his  mother  had  be- 
come increasingly  urgent.  In  November  of  this  year  he 
had  written  to  his  mother  proposing  that  she  join  him  in 
China.  But  such  a  plan  did  not  appeal  to  her  at  the 
time  and  it  was  laid  aside. 

Peking,  Dec.  26,  1883. 
My  dear  Mother  : 

A  Merry  Christmas  to  you  across  the  sea.  There  are  so 
few  children  in  Peking  that  Santa  Claus  is  very  generous  to 
them.  Mary  and  I  tried  to  make  the  day  a  pleasant  one  for 
the  dozen  or  so  schoolboys.  I  bought  a  foreign  handkerchief 
for  each  of  the  boys.  They  had  candies,  cakes  and  pears. 
They  had  learned  to  sing  a  short  hymn  very  nicely  with  Mary's 
help.  First  we  went  to  Dr.  Blodget's  and  Mr.  Noble's  and 
sang  our  song  and  then  partook  of  the  good  things  of  our  feast. 
They  learned  to  play  our  games  and  were  highly  delighted. 
Usually  they  are  such  sombre  little  ftUo^'^  that  it  did  rne  good 


80  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

to  see  them  have  a  hearty  laugh.  Seven  of  them  and  their 
teacher  had  their  picture  taken.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Blodgetare 
nicely  fixed  and  we  are  passing  a  very  comfortable  and  agree- 
able winter. 

Just  now  Peking  is  in  great  excitement  over  the  money  ques- 
tion. All  the  native  banks  are  breaking  and  our  silver  has  to 
be  sold  at  ruinous  rates.  To  fail  in  banking  is  death  to  a 
Chinese  by  law,  but  now  it  is  supposed  that  money  stops  the 
course  of  justice  and  the  bankers  are  all  running  off  with  the 
people's  money.  Perhaps  the  officials  are  at  the  bottom  of  it 
all.  The  French  are  trying  to  drive  the  Chinese  into  war. 
They  are  trying  to  steal  Chinese  territory  and  it  is  natural  that 
the  Chinese  should  resist.  The  city  is  full  of  rumors  and  the 
people  somewhat  disturbed.  They  are  very  excitable,  but 
easily  controlled. 

December  27th. — My  station  class  has  suddenly  grown  to 
nine.  I  could  easily  bring  it  up  to  a  dozen.  May  God  con- 
tinually shower  His  blessings  upon  you. 

With  love  to  the  children, 

Your  son, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

In  the  division  of  the  work  in  Peking  after  the  return 
of  Dr.  Blodget  the  care  of  the  South  Church  with  its 
large  Sunday  congregation  of  pupils  in  the  schools  and 
the  church-members,  with  the  oversight  of  the  preaching 
chapel  on  the  front  street,  reverted  naturally  to  Dr.  Blod- 
get. The  care  of  the  North  Chapel  and  the  daily  street 
preaching  there  fell  again  to  Mr.  Ament' s  charge,  as  well 
as  the  country  touring  work.  Dr.  Blodget  made  only  oc- 
casional tours,  but  loved  to  keep  in  touch  with  the 
Chinese  by  daily  visits  to  the  preaching  chapel  in  the 
afternoon,  as  well  as  with  the  deacons  and  others  who 
could  come  to  the  morning  prayer  service,  and  a  Bible 
study  directly  thereafter.  The  helper,  Jung,  kept  at  his 
daily  work  in  the  chapel,  and  was  a  learner  still  in 
Bible  study,  although  so  solidly  grounded  in  the  tenets 
of  his  faith.  Mr.  Ament  refers  less  in  his  letters,  as  we 
find  them,  to  his  own  daily  work  at  the  North  Chapel,  to 


LIFE  IN  PEKING  81 

which  he  was  devoted,  and  in  which  he  was  advancing  to 
that  fine  command  of  the  Chinese  speech  which  was  to 
distinguish  his  later  ministry.  The  new  year  of  work, 
therefore,  opens,  as  hitherto,  with  an  account  of  a  coun- 
try tour. 

Pekingy  March  4,  1884. 

Dr.  Holbrook,  Miss  Strong  of  the  Presbyterian  Mission,  Mrs. 
Ament  and  myself  have  just  returned  from  a  tour  of  eighteen 
days'  duration  to  Cho  Chou  and  Liang  Hsiang.  I  can  give  only 
a  general  statement  of  the  many  interesting  incidents  and  ex- 
periences of  our  journey.  More  than  a  dozen  years  ago  the 
work  was  opened  in  Cho  Chou  but  no  foothold  was  secured  in 
the  city  and  the  citizens  steadily  held  aloof  from  the  foreigners. 
Last  fall  our  visit  was  more  graciously  received  by  the  people, 
perhaps  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  women  could  be  reached 
and  the  homes  visited.  On  the  present  occasion  the  arrival  of 
four  foreigners,  one  a  physician,  caused  a  ferment  among  all 
classes.  A  police  official  tried  to  persuade  the  inn  proprietor 
to  turn  us  into  the  street.  The  Christian  family  and  inquirers 
in  the  same  compound  with  them  were  ordered  to  vacate  the 
place.  The  son  of  the  highest  officer  in  the  city  with  a  long 
train  of  underlings  called  upon  us  making  many  rude  re- 
marks. Notwithstanding  the  opposition  the  ladies  were  in- 
vited into  the  homes  of  many  respectable  families,  and  the 
doctor's  work  grew  beyond  her  ability  to  care  for  it.  A  widow 
from  the  leading  family  of  the  city  came  for  medicine,  and 
listened  gladly  to  the  truth.  Before  she  went  away  she  poured 
out  her  sorrows  and  trials  to  the  ladies  and  wept  on  hearing  the 
tidings  of  great  joy  to  all  the  distressed.  On  reaching  home 
she  sent  a  servant  with  a  request  for  books.  One  old  gentle- 
man who  years  ago  had  seen  our  books  waited  more  than  half 
a  day  to  see  the  foreign  preacher  and  converse  on  Christian 
truth.  He  gave  us  a  cordial  invitation  to  visit  him  in  his 
home.  These  are  only  specimens  of  the  work  that  came  to  us 
daily. 

Historically  Cho  Chou  is  a  very  interesting  city.  Marco 
Polo  mentions  the  immense  stone  bridge  outside  the  city,  the 
balustrades  of  which  contain  no  less  than  six  hundred  stone 
pillars  as  well  as  numerous  lions  and  elephants.  "The  coun- 
try is  rich  in  grain,"  says  Marco  Polo,  "  the  people  are  idol- 


82  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

aters,  they  live  by  merchandise  and  the  arts,  making  cloth  of 
gold  as  well  as  of  silk  and  beautiful  linen."  In  contrast  to  this 
beautiful  picture  is  the  present  condition  of  the  people.  Dur- 
ing the  past  year  the  Emperor  has  distributed  grain  and  money 
five  times  to  the  starving.  The  manufacture  of  silk  and  linen 
has  long  since  ceased  and  the  only  relic  of  former  opulence  re- 
mains in  the  fine  shops  for  the  sale  of  women's  head  ornaments. 

Just  outside  of  the  city  walls  there  is  a  temple,  which  reaches 
back  in  its  history,  it  is  said,  to  the  Shang  dynasty,  1766  b.  c. 
It  is  situated  on  an  artificial  knoll  a  few  tens  of  feet  in  height 
which  doubtless  is  made  up  of  the  debris  of  ancient  temples. 
A  tablet  in  good  preservation  says  the  present  edifice  was 
erected  during  the  reign  of  the  Golden  Tartars  in  the  twelfth 
century. 

Cho  Chou  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  the  only  city  in  the 
empire  whose  mandarins  are  exempt  by  imperial  decree  from 
the  duty  of  entertaining  and  escorting  travelling  officials  en 
route  for  the  regions  beyond.  The  great  roads  from  nine 
provinces  unite  here  thus  making  the  place,  as  the  Emperor 
Chien  Lung  said,  without  its  like  beneath  the  sun. 

The  great  road  from  this  place  to  the  capital,  though  filled 
with  lines  of  carts,  camels,  donkeys,  and  travellers  of  all  de- 
scriptions, including  Thibetan  and  Mongol  pilgrims,  is  almost 
never  repaired  and  if  you  are  not  drowned  in  the  mud  you  are 
certain  to  be  suffocated  with  the  dust. 

From  Cho  Chou  we  went  to  the  village  of  Pu  An  (**  Stable 
Peace  ")  in  the  district  of  Liang  Hsiang  about  thirty  miles 
from  Peking.  As  on  previous  visits,  we  lodged  in  the  village 
temple  which  the  Taoist  priest  kindly  opened  for  us.  From 
our  first  arrival  the  doctor  was  thronged  with  patients  from 
villages  far  and  near.  In  two  or  three  days  her  medicines  were 
exhausted  as  well  as  her  strength,  and  by  her  exertions  we  be- 
came acquainted  with  many  respectable  people.  A  residence 
of  a  few  days  in  this  retired  village  gave  us  some  little  insight 
into  the  home  life  of  the  people,  and  we  were  more  than  ever 
impressed  with  the  wretched  condition  of  the  women.  Infan- 
ticide is  more  prevalent  than  a  casual  observer  would  suppose. 
We  found  here  a  new  invention  for  the  destruction  of  infant 
girls.  It  is  simply  for  the  mother-in-law  to  take  a  willow  dust- 
pan and  fan  the  little  creature  till  life  is  extinct.  The  doctor 
found  one  young  mother  weeping  over  the  murder  of  her  little 
girl  which  the  mother-in-law  had  allowed  to  live  two  weeks  be- 


LIFE  IN  PEKING  83 

fore  smothering.  The  poor  girl  was  sick  and  weak,  yet  she 
was  pushed  about,  kicked  like  a  dog  and  scoffed  at  when  she 
wept.  A  husband  is  helpless  in  such  a  case.  The  only  retri- 
bution feared  by  the  mother-in-law  is  that  the  young  wife  will 
commit  suicide,  when  her  family  may  come  en  masse  and  tear 
down  the  house  of  her  oppressors.  They  manage  to  keep  if 
possible  inside  the  limit  of  the  persecution  which  drives  to  sui- 
cide, but  they  make  her  life  more  miserable  than  you  can  con- 
ceive. The  women  respond  quickly  to  sympathy  from  their 
foreign  sisters  and  are  far  more  cordial  than  the  men. 

We  reached  home  February  28th.  This  tour  was  peculiarly 
encouraging  in  many  respects.  All  classes  were  reached.  It 
was  the  apostolic  method,  on  the  one  hand  healing  the  sick 
and  on  the  other  proclaiming  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation. 


These  country  tours  with  Mrs.  Ament  were  full  of 
mutual  enjoyment.  An  effort  was  made  to  touch  the 
country  life  at  all  points.  To  accomplish  this  every 
variety  of  transportation  was  employed  and  every  means 
used  to  interest  and  help  the  people.  Helpers  were 
spurred  on  to  sell  books  at  the  fairs  and  villages,  schools 
were  started,  or  if  organized,  special  examinations  held 
and  the  prizes  of  pretty  pictures  often  in  colors,  from  the 
waste  of  the  Sunday-schools  in  America,  were  given. 
The  receiving  and  making  of  calls  and  visits,  alike  from 
the  Christians  and  their  friends,  or  even  strangers  were 
sources  of  influence.  The  receptions  often  lasted  till  a 
late  hour  of  the  night,  thus  cementing  many  a  friendship 
and  adding  others.  Medicines  such  as  a  layman  could 
give  easily  and  wisely jWere  always  carried  and  were  ever 
in  great  demand. 

Peking^  May  27,  1884.. 
From  Mrs.  Ament  to  a  Friend  : 

Mr.  Ament  has  been  away  to  mission  meeting  and  only 
just  returned.  While  he  was  away  I  thought  I  would  begin  to 
answer  you.  Our  annual  meetings  used  to  be  held  here  in  our 
own  courts,  but  for  three  years  it  has  been  held  at  Tung-chow, 


84  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

twelve  miles  southeast,  as  there  are  more  ample  accommoda- 
tions there.  Last  year  we  went  with  our  darling  baby  Philip 
and  he  was  baptized  on  the  first  Sabbath.  The  pleasures  of 
the  week  were  so  entwined  about  him  that  I  felt  I  could  not  go 
this  year.     All  would  come  up  too  vividly. 

To-day  I  have  been  to  a  Chinese  wedding.  One  of  the  girls 
of  the  Bridgman  school  was  married  to  the  son  of  one  of  our 
helpers,  himself  a  student  helper.  The  bride  came  in,  her  head 
covered  with  a  red  embroidered  satin  covering,  so  as  to  conceal 
her  head  and  shoulders.  An  old  woman,  a  friend  of  the  family 
and  a  young  woman,  also  a  church-member,  led  the  poor  blind- 
folded creature  to  her  doom.  Her  friends  all  live  down  in  the 
country,  too  far  away  to  afford  the  expense  of  the  journey,  so 
she,  poor  girl,  was  left  to  the  attentions  of  strangers.  The 
groom  stood  near  but  not  next  her,  the  old  woman  separating 
them.  He  made  the  responses  in  an  audible  tone  but  the  poor 
girl's  courage  failed  her,  and  Dr.  Blodget  who  officiated  had  to 
take  it  for  granted  that  she  was  willing.  The  doors  being 
closed  after  her  exit  from  the  chapel,  that  no  one  but  the  woman 
leading  her  should  see  her  enter  the  sedan  chair,  she  was  led  to 
it.  The  chair  is  scarlet  with  gilded  hangings  and  four  bearers. 
On  her  arrival  at  her  future  home  she  will  remove  the  veil,  be 
seated  on  the  kang,  and  after  a  little  descend  to  knock  her 
head  on  the  ground  to  the  new  parents,  after  which  she  is  to 
play  the  agreeable  to  the  friends.  We  were  all  invited  over  to 
a  feast  this  evening  in  honor  of  the  occasion.  The  presence  of 
a  single  lady  would  be  thought  most  out  of  place — that  is  an 
unmarried  lady — and  foreign  ladies  are  never  much  desired. 
No  people  in  the  world  can  fear  ridicule  more  than  the  Chinese. 
It  is  pitiful  to  see  what  lengths  they  will  go  in  order  to  avoid 
it.  It  makes  us  enjoy  and  appreciate  our  own  freedom  of 
action. 

Many  who  are  interested  in  the  doctrine  and  are  ready  to 
come  to  us  are  not  ready  to  invite  us  to  their  homes.  At 
present  I  have  a  Bible  woman  who  goes  from  house  to  house, 
reads,  tells  Bible  stories,  and  explains  the  doctrine  to  whoever 
will  listen.  This  is  work  that  I  would  gladly  do,  but  from 
which  we  are  debarred.  I  teach  this  woman  an  hour  each  day 
and  plan  the  day's  work  for  her  and  I  think  she  is  doing  good 
and  reaching  some  who  would  otherwise  be  inaccessible. 

This  is  a  dusty  day  and  the  wind  comes  in  gusts,  and  the  sky 
is  that  peculiar  yellow  that  we  sometimes  see  before  a  thunder- 


LIFE  IN  PEKING  85 

storm.  We  have  these  dust  winds  on  an  average  once  a  week 
from  November  to  July  when  the  rains  come.  When  it  is  not 
blowing  dust,  the  air  is  pleasant  and  mild.  The  thermometer 
went  once  this  winter  to  fourteen  degrees,  but  generally  it  is 
about  the  freezing  point.  Persons  suffering  from  rheumatism 
or  lung  trouble  generally  find  this  climate  favorable.  But 
nervous  diseases  are  aggravated.  On  the  whole  the  climate  is 
rather  more  trying  than  that  in  the  northern  states  of  the  United 
States,  especially  to  little  children.  The  sun  has  a  peculiar 
effect  upon  the  foreign  skull.  The  Chinese  skin  and  skull 
being  considerably  thickened,  probably  from  ages  of  exposure, 
as  few  protect  their  heads  except  when  it  rains.  They  have  a 
tradition  that  raindrops  produce  lice,  so  they  most  carefully 
protect  their  heads  from  such  evil  influences  as  the  rain  from 
heaven. 

At  present  many  of  our  mission  are  here.  My  share  is  eight. 
To-day  I  had  a  children's  party  and  there  were  a  baker's  dozen 
around  the  supper  table.  They  had  a  merry  time.  It  is  a 
pleasure  to  see  a  company  of  well-trained  children  together  and 
the  missionary  circle  contains  a  good  many  such. 

W.  S.  Ament  io  Dr.  Clark  : 

Your  favor  of  July  26th  was  duly  received.  I  thank 
you  for  the  promptness  and  favorable  decision  that  you  gave  to 
my  request.  The  permission  to  return  home  gave  me  almost  a 
greater  throb  of  pain  than  making  my  request  did.  No  one  re- 
grets more  than  I  the  necessity  which  compels  me  to  leave  the 
mission  field.  Never  was  the  work  more  hopeful  in  Peking, 
never  was  the  mission  more  harmonious.  On  Sabbath  next  I 
hope  to  baptize  several  men.  Sixteen  persons  are  waiting  to  be 
baptized  in  our  country  stations.  The  Peking  church  has  quite 
a  membership  but  it  is  widely  scattered.  In  two  places  only 
can  we  gather  a  congregation  of  twenty  baptized  persons.  In 
one  of  these  places  they  have  elected  a  head  man  as  a  sort  of 
pastor,  and  we  look  to  him  to  care  for  the  services  on  the  Sab- 
bath. He  is  not  paid  by  the  mission.  The  people  are  glad  to 
make  this  modest  beginning  towards  founding  an  independent 
church.  The  next  step  is  to  get  the  people  interested  in  build- 
ing a  proper  chapel  for  their  services. 

A  mistake  will  be  made  if  our  few  scattered,  drowned-out 
Christians  are  compared  with  those  in  Japan.  There  the  middle 
classes  have  been  reached  ;  not  so  in  China.     It  is  seldom  that 


86  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

our  people  can  get  two  harvests  in  a  year.  If  they  are  not  dried 
up  in  the  spring  they  are  almost  sure  to  be  drowned  out  in  the 
autumn.  Thirteen  rivers  flow  into  the  Pei-Ho  at  or  above 
Tientsin.  This  one  river  is  too  small  to  carry  off  the  vast 
volume  of  water  coming  down  after  heavy  rains  and  as  a  con- 
sequence the  plain  of  Northern  Chihli  is  annually  flooded  more 
or  less.  In  view  of  these  facts  some  missionaries  think  that  the 
subject  of  self-support  should  not  be  brought  prominently  for- 
ward until  the  circumstances  of  our  Christians  improve  or  we 
reach  a  more  well-to-do  class  of  people.  However,  at  our  last 
annual  meeting  this  subject  was  vigorously  discussed  and  I 
think  much  good  will  result  from  it.  But  after  all  our  theoriz- 
ing on  this  subject  the  fact  is  patent  that  if  all  the  worldly  pos- 
sessions of  all  our  Christians  were  put  into  the  contribution  box 
the  sum  would  be  ridiculously  small. 

On  August  24th  a  little  daughter  was  born  to  Mrs.  Ament 
while  at  the  Western  Hills.  She  is  called  after  my  mother, 
Emily  Hammond. 

On  reading  the  minutes  of  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Shansi 
Mission  you  will  see  that  I  have  been  invited  to  visit  them  and 
confer  on  mission  matters.  While  reluctant  to  spend  any  por- 
tion of  my  last  few  months  away  from  my  field,  it  seems  best 
after  consultation  with  my  colleagues  that  I  should  go.  I  will 
also  act  as  the  escort  to  the  new  arrivals  for  Shansi. 

Peking,  Dec.  31,  1884. 
W.  S.  Ament  to  Dr.  Judson  Smith, 

Secretary  of  the  American  Board : 

My  congratulations  are  rather  tardy  in  reaching  you  but 
they  are  none  the  less  real.  Your  first  letter  reached  the  mis- 
sion while  I  was  absent  on  my  visit  to  Shansi,  and  I  have  not 
yet  had  the  pleasure  of  perusing  it.  I  can  wish  nothing  better 
for  you  than  that  the  happy  relations  and  mutual  confidence 
existing  between  your  predecessor  and  this  mission  may  con- 
tinue under  your  administration.  I  can  testify  to  the  deep  re- 
gard missionaries  have  for  the  honored  men  in  the  home  office 
who  care  for  our  interests  so  ably  and  faithfully. 

Our  work  is  gradually  getting  onto  a  better  footing  in  the 
way  of  developing  a  native  agency  and  bringing  the  converts  to 
feel  and  know  that  there  is  work  for  them  to  do.  Self-support 
is  a  difficult  principle  to  advocate  among  the  poor  Chinese. 
The  ground  of  success  seems  to  me  to  be,  as  Dr.  Clark  in  his 


LIFE  IN  PEKING  8T 

paper  suggests,  to  begin  from  the  very  start  and  instruct  the 
people  in  right  principles  and  not  let  them  off  because  of  their 
poverty.  Progress  will  be  slow,  as  our  constituency  is  scattered 
and  self-support  implies  a  goodly  number  in  one  place.  On 
the  other  hand  I  think  the  mission  in  Shansi  has  gone  to  the 
other  extreme  of  no  paid  agency  at  all.  Already  they  are  em- 
ploying their  personal  servants  as  assistants  while  on  their  tours. 
They  will  find  out  as  their  work  opens  that  a  missionary's 
strength  is  limited  and  that  helpers  are  necessary  to  do  pre- 
liminary work. 

The  plain  upon  which  Tai  Ku  is  situated  is  just  recovering 
from  the  effects  of  the  famine  seven  years  ago.  The  friends  in 
Tai  Ku  gave  me  a  warm  welcome.  I  found  the  three  families 
living  on  three  different  premises.  On  Mr.  Stimson's  premises 
there  is  a  large  room  easily  turned  into  a  street  chapel.  This 
we  opened  for  several  days  and  seldom  failed  of  attentive  lis- 
teners. Mr.  Stimson  and  I  took  a  short  tour  into  the  country 
selling  a  few  books  and  preaching  by  the  way.  Everywhere 
we  were  well  treated  by  the  people  and  attention  was  given  our 
words.  I  was  only  sorry  that  my  time  was  so  limited  that  I 
could  stay  no  longer  and  do  no  more. 


For  life  is  the  mirror  of  king  and  slave, 
'Tis  just  what  you  are  and  do; 

Then  give  the  world  the  best  you  have 
And  the  best  will  come  back  to  you. 
— Madeleine  Bridges, 

VI 

A  PASTORATE  IN  AMERICA 

ME.  AND  MES.  AMENT  with  their  daughter, 
Emily  Hammond,  left  Peking  in  March,  1885. 
They  had  now  been  nearly  eight  years  in  the 
mission  work  and  were  practically  veterans  in  the  service, 
easily  carrying  many  forms  of  mission  work  and  remark- 
ably well  adapted  to  meet  the  varying  vicissitudes  of 
mission  life.  They  had  endeared  themselves  to  the  native 
Christians  in  no  ordinary  way  and  their  departure  for 
home  was  greatly  regretted,  although  there  was  pleasure 
in  the  thought  of  the  rest  they  would  have,  and  the  de- 
light of  the  mother  and  other  friends  in  their  return. 
The  returning  missionaries  were  received  with  eager 
interest  in  the  Owosso  home.  The  opportunity  for  mak- 
ing missionary  addresses  was  used  to  the  full. 

Ere  long  it  seemed  wisest  for  ]\Ir.  Ament  to  resign  from 
the  service  of  the  Board.  He  was  invited  to  take  charge 
of  the  pulpit  in  Owosso,  in  the  absence  of  a  pastor.  He 
thus  entered  upon  pastoral  work  under  most  pleasing 
circumstances  among  friends  and  acquaintances  who 
were  rejoicing  in  having  such  a  leader  among  them. 

A  missionary  during  the  period  of  his  furlough  in  the 
United  States  in  going  from  place  to  place,  telling  the 
story  of  life  and  service,  is  not  infrequently  surprised 
at  the  eagerness  with  which  many  listen  to  his  accounts. 
While  there  is  often  prejudice  against  the  work  of  mis- 

88 


A  PASTORATE  IN  AMERICA  89 

sions  and  little  knowledge  of  its  hardships  or  successes 
still  the  field  of  the  world  is  interesting.  The  missionary- 
life  partakes  of  a  kind  of  statesmanship,  that  large  share 
in  the  life  of  the  world  which  brings  to  men  a  sense  of 
wider  interests  and  of  international  relationships.  It  may 
be  these  which  lend  attractiveness  to  the  story  of  the 
well-equipped  missionary.  His  reception  among  the 
churches  is  overflowingly  warm  hearted.  If  he  is  able 
to  respond  to  this  kindly  feeling,  his  furlough  will  be  full 
of  joy  to  himself  and  of  good  to  those  hearing  the  record 
of  his  work. 

With  such  an  opportunity  for  interesting  an  audience 
as  Mr.  Ament  had  attained,  it  is  no  surprise  to  find  him 
more  than  ordinarily  acceptable  when  he  spoke  upon  his 
favorite  theme  of  China. 

After  no  very  long  delay,  therefore,  when  he  had  de- 
cided to  seek  a  pastorate  at  home,  he  received  and  ac- 
cepted a  call  to  the  church  at  Medina,  Ohio.  Medina  is 
one  of  the  considerable  towns  in  the  Western  Reserve, 
south  of  Cleveland.  The  population  was  at  that  time  a 
little  above  two  thousand.  He  speaks  of  the  church  as  a 
*'  country  ''  church,  and  yet  it  stands  eighth  in  member- 
ship among  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  churches  of  Ohio. 
In  benevolent  gifts  it  stands  either  ninth  or  tenth.  It  had 
had  a  fine  record  in  the  ability  of  its  former  pastors.  His 
immediate  predecessor  was  the  Rev.  Dr.  C.  J.  Ryder,  since 
a  secretary  of  the  American  Missionary  Association. 
There  are  few  letters  to  tell  the  story  of  this  pastorate. 
His  mother  joined  him  here,  fulfilling  the  long  cherished 
desire  for  them  to  be  together.  Mr.  Ament' s  Christian 
enthusiasm  found  happy  scope  in  the  new  field.  His 
people  became  responsive  to  his  missionary  as  well  as 
other  appeals.  It  is  given  to  but  few  foreign  mission- 
aries to  enter  so  closely  into  the  church  life  at  home. 

The  following  letter  begins  the  record  : 


90  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Owossoy  Mich.,  Oct.  24,  1883. 
My  dear  Miss  Schirmer  : 

I  have  accepted  a  call  to  Medina,  Ohio,  a  country  town 
with  a  church-membership  of  250,  twenty  miles  from  Cleveland. 
They  have  a  fine  building  and  a  good  roomy  parsonage.  Why 
can  you  not  come  and  spend  the  winter  with  us?  If  the  town 
is  too  monotonous,  you  can  drop  into  Cleveland,  the  finest  town 
in  the  West.  I  have  a  horse  and  a  carriage  and  we  will  take 
daily  rides  in  the  fresh  air.  I  am  delighted  with  my  parish. 
My  predecessor.  Rev.  C.  J.  Ryder,  was  called  to  Oswego  and 
refused  the  call,  thinking  Medina  the  preferable  place.  There 
is  only  one  regular  service  a  day  and  two  other  meetings. 

Eternally  yours, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

To  A  Friend  : 

We  are  now  a  united  family.  My  mother  reached  here 
last  Saturday  evening  in  good  health  and  spirits.  Our  home 
is  very  comfortable  and  convenient.  I  keep  a  carriage  to  visit 
my  parishioners,  many  of  whom  live  in  the  country.  Yesterday 
I  had  an  audience  of  nearly  five  hundred  people.  To-morrow 
night  I  speak  in  Cleveland  on  **  China."  Our  health  is 
good.     We  are  working  hard  and  the  Master  is  helping  us. 

Medina^  Ohio,  Jan.  2S,  2886. 
To  Dr.  Smith  : 

We  are  comfortably  settled  and  hard  at  work.  The 
people  have  given  us  a  cordial  reception  and  the  prospects  for 
the  future  are  most  encouraging. 

It  is  easy  to  criticize  the  progress  of  missions  in  China  and 
pronounce  them  a  failure  but  you  never  hear  such  criticism 
emanating  from  a  live  missionary.  Progress  in  China  is  marked 
and  encouraging,  but  it  cannot  be  wholly  represented  in  figures. 
It  is  seen  in  the  general  breakdown  of  idolatry  in  many  places, 
the  reception  given  to  missionaries,  and  the  general  diffusion 
of  useful  information.  I  hope  you  may  be  coming  around  by 
way  of  Medina  before  long.  The  foreign  missionary  interest 
needs  rousing.  I  hope  to  give  a  course  of  a  dozen  lectures  on 
China.  Our  ladies'  society  is  quite  revived  in  interest  as  also 
the  children's.  I  want  to  do  much  for  the  cause  still  near  my 
heart.  Let  me  know  if  I  can  be  of  any  service,  and  I  will 
perform  it  if  I  can. 


A  PASTORATE  IN  AMERICA  91 

Miss  Mary  A.  Curtiss  of  Medina  writes  of  an  incident 
in  Mr.  Ament's  new  pastorate.  "Early  in  February, 
1886,  a  series  of  meetings  for  which  Mr.  Ament  and 
others  had  been  preparing  was  held  in  Medina  under  the 
direction  of  those  well-known  temperance  workers, 
Francis  and  Edward  Murphy.  Into  this  work  and  that 
of  the  Gospel  Temperance  Union,  organized  during  Mr. 
Murphy's  stay  in  Medina,  Mr.  Ament  threw  himself  with 
characteristic  energy  and  enthusiasm.  He  was  most 
earnest  in  seeking  out  those  who  were  not  hopeful.  No 
home  was  too  distant  or  too  humble  for  him  to  find  it,  if 
so  he  might  be  of  service  to  one  who  needed  help.  And 
his  interest  and  sympathy  were  so  genuine  and  so  kindly 
manifested  as  to  give  him  great  power  with  those  he  was 
trying  to  reach.  As  one  who  knew  him  well  in  this  work 
said,  '  He  could  come  right  to  the  point  and  yet  not  in- 
sult anybody.'  His  interest  in  the  work  never  seemed 
to  abate.  He  started  meetings  in  a  section  of  the  town 
where  not  many  were  in  the  habit  of  attending  church,  and 
kept  them  up.  One  intimately  associated  with  him  in  this 
part  of  the  work  quotes  him  with  grateful  remembrance  as 
saying  in  his  hearty  way,  *  There  will  be  a  meeting  to- 
night and  you  will  be  there.  I've  got  something  to  tell 
you  and  I  know  you  will  be  there.'  And  he  went.  As  a 
result  of  these  meetings  the  last  open  saloon  in  Medina 
was  closed  and  more  than  a  thousand  signatures  were  se- 
cured for  what  was  known  as  the  Murphy  pledge." 

Among  the  interesting  incidents  of  this  home  pastorate 
was  a  discussion  with  a  company  of  outspoken  infidels, 
who  had  secured  much  influence  with  the  young  men  of 
the  town.  The  discussions  were  held  in  the  county  court 
house.  By  wise  and  thoughtful  discussion,  and  happy 
retort  and  reply  to  objections,  the  power  of  this  opposing 
force  was  practically  broken. 

One  of  the  pleasant  incidents  of  his  work  in  Medina 


92  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

was  the  securing  of  a  young  man  to  be  the  business  agent 
and  treasurer  of  our  North  China  Mission.  One  of  the 
real  burdens  in  any  mission  is  the  business  end.  To  Mr. 
Bostwick  the  mission  is  indebted  for  the  discovery  and 
selection  of  the  now  well-known  watering  place  on  the 
north  coast  a  score  of  miles  south  of  Shan-Hai-Kuan. 
Family  circumstances  compelled  him  to  return  home 
after  an  eight  and  a  half  years'  service.  He  is  well 
known  as  the  diligent  and  successful  manager  of  the 
great  sanitarium  at  Clifton  Springs. 

A  little  son,  William  Sheffield  Ament,  came  to  their 
home  July  25,  1887. 

Medina,  Ohio,  Oct.  31,  1887. 
To  Dr.  Smith  . 

We  have  received  letters  from  China  which  have  broken 
us  entirely  down.  Not  that  we  have  needed  any  suggestions 
to  make  our  interest  in  China  real  and  living,  but  the  present 
needs  lay  the  burden  upon  us  heavier  than  ever  before.  Three 
preaching  missionaries  have  always  been  needed  in  Peking. 
By  the  return  of  Mr.  Noble  next  spring  and  the  transfer  of  the 
treasurer's  office  to  Tientsin  a  house  is  left  available  and  the 
desire  of  Dr.  Blodget  for  a  third  preaching  missionary  can  be 
realized.  The  question  forces  itself  on  us,  ought  we  to  return 
and  take  up  our  work ;  is  it  right  to  do  so  under  the  circum- 
stances ?  The  situation  has  improved  wonderfully  in  the  last 
few  months.  My  mother  decided  that  she  would  reestablish 
her  home  in  Michigan,  so  last  month  I  returned  with  her  and 
she  is  now  comfortably  settled  in  her  own  house.  Two  years  of 
rest  have  given  her  quite  a  zest  for  work  again.  She  is  almost 
ready  to  say  go,  but  what  shall  I  say  of  our  beloved  parish 
which  has  a  hold  on  our  affections  second  only  to  China  ?  I 
have  nearly  a  hundred  spiritual  children  here.  Should  they 
be  left  ?  Would  so  sudden  a  change  in  plan  indicate  fickleness 
on  my  part  ?  Is  it  fair  to  the  people  after  a  pastorate  of  only 
two  years  and  a  half  to  leave  them  when  everything  is  on  a 
most  satisfactory  basis  ?  Perhaps  you  can  give  us  a  little  light 
on  these  matters.  My  heart  yearns  for  China.  It  is  no  light 
thing  to  be  swerved  from  a  line  of  work  chosen  not  for  a  day 
but  for  a  life.     Let  me  hear  from  you  as  soon  as  convenient. 


A  PASTORATE  IN  AMERICA  93 

Medina,  Jan.  24,  1888. 
I  have  just  returned  from  a  very  satisfactory  visit  with  my 
mother.     She  takes  the  most  cheerful  view  of  the  situation  and 
is  ready  to  abide  by  any  decision  we  may  make.     We  hope 
your  plans  will  allow  of  a  short  call  in  Medina  before  long. 


It  was  a  great  pleasure  to  Mr.  Anient  that  he  could 
have  his  mother  with  him  and  that  together  they  could 
share  the  happy  burdens  of  a  household  with  the  children 
of  his  sister  among  them.  It  would  appear  however  that 
Madam  Ament,  who  was  in  her  seventieth  year,  could  not 
easily  accustom  herself  to  being  away  from  her  old  friends 
and  acquaintances.  She  was  therefore  restless  and  some- 
what lonely  at  Medina,  since  her  son  was  so  busily  oc- 
cupied with  the  parish  cares.  It  was  her  desire  to  return 
to  her  old  home  in  Michigan.  On  the  other  hand  one 
who  has  had  a  share  in  the  work  on  foreign  fields  ever 
feels  the  drawing  again  towards  the  work.  Such  a  feel- 
ing Mr.  Ament  could  not  resist  and  at  this  juncture  there 
came  some  new  and  special  appeals  for  the  North  China 
work,  increasing  the  old  interest,  and  with  a  quickened 
enthusiasm  the  old  work  in  China  fell  again  to  his  lot. 


Medina,  March  23,  1888. 
My  dear  Miss  Schirmer  : 

I  want  to  tell  you  something  of  our  plans.  Such 
representations  have  come  from  China  and  from  the  secretaries 
in  Boston  that  we  have  decided  to  return  to  China  this  fall.  Of 
course  we  are  very  contented  in  Medina,  but  the  call  is  very 
loud  from  across  the  sea.  I  hear  you  say:  **How  about 
mother?"  Well,  she  says,  "Go.  It  is  your  duty."  Her 
niece  will  make  a  home  for  mother  and  by  the  sale  of  some 
land  she  is  made  financially  comfortable.  Mother  is  glad  that 
she  has  a  son  willing  to  do  such  a  work,  and  if  the  Lord  calls, 
who  shall  hinder  ?  I  know  you  will  look  at  this  in  the  right 
light  and  not  look  on  me  as  an  ingrate,  for  no  man  in  the  land 
loves  his  mother  more  than  I  do. 


94  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

From  Mrs.  Ament  : 

Dear  Friend  : — I  think  it  was  partly  because  mother 
felt  convinced  that  this  was  not  the  field  where  William  could 
do  the  most  good  that  she  decided  to  go  back  to  Michigan.  I 
think  that  when  he  came  back  from  China  she  thought  he 
could  work  as  well  in  one  place  as  another,  but  she  came  to 
see  that  China  was  the  field  for  him  and  as  soon  as  she  saw 
that,  like  a  true  mother  she  really  wished  him  to  be  where  he 
could  do  the  most  for  Christ  and  humanity.  On  visiting  her 
last  winter  he  found  her  so  cheerful  and  happy  in  the  thought 
of  his  going  back  that  he  came  to  the  final  decision. 

Medina,  May  g,  1888. 
Dear  Miss  Schirmer  : 

My  mother  is  with  us  now  and  was  never  more  cheerful. 
Last  Wednesday  was  her  seventieth  birthday  and  we  had  a 
company  of  old  ladies  to  greet  her.  She  enjoyed  the  tea  party 
very  much.  The  dear  creature  is  a  general  favorite.  All  love 
her,  for  no  one  could  help  doing  that.  Do  you  not  suppose 
that  when  God  told  me  to  go  to  China,  He  also  prepared  my 
mother  for  the  work  as  well  as  myself?  She  counts  it  a 
privilege  to  have  a  son  at  the  front.  We  break  up  here  in 
about  two  weeks,  and  I  leave  for  good  in  June.  I  do  wish  you 
could  see  Mary  and  the  babies  before  we  go. 

Painesville,  Ohio,  July  p,  1888. 
To  THE  Same  : 

Arrived  at  Painesville,  Mary  and  the  babies  gave  me 
a  warm  welcome,  and  in  the  family  carriage  we  drove  to  her 
aunt's  together.  I  do  trust  that  you  will  remember  that  I  ap- 
preciate your  beautiful  treatment  of  me  while  I  was  in  New 
York.  Such  kindness  was  more  than  I  deserve,  and  I  shall 
never  forget  it  and  will  try  to  enrich  others  by  your  example  of 
unselfish  kindness  and  generosity.  Some  day  but  not  now  I 
may  have  eloquence  enough  to  tell  you  how  much  you  have 
done  to  make  the  world  brighter  for  me.  What  courage  you 
give  by  your  cheerful  spirit  and  what  hope  by  your  kindness ! 

It  is  peculiarly  fitting  to  place  here  a  summary  of  his 
experiences  at  Medina,  given  as  a  part  of  the  later  memo- 
rial services,  on  his  behalf  by  the  present  pastor  of  the 


A  PASTORATE  IN  AMERICA  95 

Medina    cliurch,   the    Rev.    J.   Edward  Kir  bye,   D.D., 
recently  the  president  of  Drury  College,  Missouri : 

"  The  influence  of  a  truly  great  pastor  is  cumulative. 
Measured  by  this  standard,  the  Rev.  William  S.  Ament,  D.D., 
was  a  great  pastor  as  well  as  a  great  missionary.  During  his 
ministry  here  of  three  years  many  notable  advances  were  made, 
and  influences  left  are  easily  discernible  in  the  life  of  the 
church  to-day.  There  are  three  abiding  impressions  in  the 
community  as  the  result  of  his  ministry. 

"The  people  remember  distinctly  his  heroic  aggressiveness. 
He  was  never  afraid  to  undertake  a  task  if  it  promised  success. 
There  was  the  spirit  of  venturesome  faith  and  he  sought  to 
make  the  church  the  embodiment  of  this  ideal.  The  people 
are  fond  of  telling  how  the  Standing  Committee  were  reluctant 
about  adopting  certain  measures  which  he  proposed.  After 
presenting  the  case  as  clearly  as  he  could  with  its  promised  ad- 
vantages and  seeing  their  reluctance,  he  arose  from  his  chair 
and  strode  across  the  room  remarking  :  '  I  wish  I  had  a  walk- 
ing committee  instead  of  a  standing  committee.'  There  was  a 
buoyant  enthusiasm  in  his  endeavor  which  drew  the  people 
about  him  in  ardent  devotion. 

"  The  second  abiding  influence  was  his  consecration  to  the 
work  of  the  Master.  He  was  not  concerned  with  eloquent 
sermons  but  was  trying  to  minister  faith  to  the  discouraged, 
and  to  rescue  those  who  had  lost  their  bearings  in  life.  He 
was  interested  in  the  outcasts  of  the  community.  There  was  a 
drunkard  who  enlisted  his  full  sympathies  and  help.  This  man 
professed  conversion  and  joined  the  church,  but  only  through 
the  steady  and  persistent  ministries  of  Mr.  Ament  was  he  kept 
until  the  last. 

"The  third  influence  which  he  left  among  the  people  was 
an  enthusiasm  for  missions.  The  needs  and  the  opportunities 
of  the  heathen  world  pressed  heavily  upon  his  heart.  He  was 
the  wise  master  builder  in  the  church.  He  knew  that  if  the 
children  and  the  young  people  could  be  grounded  in  mission- 
ary zeal  that  it  would  be  a  cumulative  force  widening  over  the 
years. 

"Our  church  is  a  great  missionary  church  to-day  because 
Mr.  Ament  instructed  the  junior  and  senior  Christian  Endeavor 
Societies  in  the  meaning  of  world-wide  responsibility.  He 
felt  that  it  was  a  great  battle  to  win  the  world  for  Christ.     He 


96  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

believed  with  all  his  heart  and  soul  in  the  supreme  necessity  of 
the  effort  and  the  ultimate  victory.  The  church  in  Medina 
loved  him,  and  he  in  turn  loved  the  church,  but  he  believed 
with  all  his  heart  that  he  was  divinely  called  to  return  to  China. 
There  was  ease  and  comfort  here,  there  was  duty  in  China. 

«<  The  little  road  said  go, 

The  little  house  said  stay, 
And,  oh,  it  is  bonny  here  at  home. 
But  I  must  go  away.' 

"  That  was  the  spirit  in  which  he  went  out  from  the  Old 
First  Church,  Medina,  to  his  work  in  China." 


Be  strong. 
We  are  not  here  to  play,  to  dream,  to  drift. 
We  have  hard  work  to  do,  and  loads  to  lift. 
Shun  not  the  struggle ;  face  it.    'Tis  God's  gift. 

— Babcock. 


VII 

THE  RENEWAL  OF  LIFE  IN  CHINA 

THE  plan  to  return  to  China  involved  questions 
which  had  a  large  bearing  upon  the  coming 
home  life  in  Peking.  There  were  the  two 
small  children  who  needed  alike  constant  care  and  teach- 
ing as  they  should  grow.  There  was  the  large  women's 
work  in  Peking  for  which  Mrs.  Ament  was  fully  equipped 
and  which  she  desired  to  aid  in  every  possible  way. 
There  was  also  the  problem  of  Mrs.  Ament' s  aunt,  Miss 
A.  M.  Wyett,  who  had  now  resigned  her  position  at 
Oberlin.  It  was  a  happy  thought  which  came  unwit- 
tingly at  first  that  Miss  Wyett  accompany  them  to  Peking, 
share  in  their  home  and  aid  Mrs.  Ament  in  the  care  of 
the  children  that  she  might  give  the  more  time  to  the 
Chinese.  It  was  a  part  of  the  plan  that  Miss  Wyett 
should,  if  she  so  desired,  use  her  remarkable  skill  in  colors 
and  drawing  in  giving  lessons.  Mrs.  Ament  felt  espe- 
cially desirous  of  having  her  aunt  in  her  home,  since  in 
the  early  days  of  their  motherless  condition.  Miss  Wyett 
had  given  her  nieces  most  faithful  and  loving  care.  It 
would  be  a  suitable  return  for  such  thoughtful  care,  if 
their  Peking  home  could  be  hers  also. 

San  Francisco y  Aug.  jo,  1888. 
To  Dr.  Smith  : 

In  a  few  hours  we  set  sail  for  China.  Our  party  is  now 
complete ;  all  in  good  health  and  spirits.  En  route  from  Port- 
land we  narrowly  escaped  plunging  through  a  burning  trestle 
work  but  were  mercifully  preserved.     Our  last  word  is  one  of 

97 


98  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

good  cheer  and  high  hope  for  the  glory  of  God  in  a  heathen 
land. 

Mrs.  Anient  is  out  or  she  would  unite  in  warm  regards  to 
Mrs.  Smith  and  yourself.     Miss  Wyett  also  sends  greetings. 


Peking,  Oct.  j8,  1888. 

I  am  glad  to  announce  our  safe  arrival  in  Peking. 

Never  was  hospitality  more  appreciated  than  was  the  warm, 
cordial  greetings  and  good  cheer  of  the  Tung-chow  friends. 
But  we  could  not  tarry  long  in  this  delightful  resting  place  and 
hurried  on  to  Peking,  meeting  a  group  of  native  brethren  some 
distance  out  of  the  city  who  had  come  in  the  dust  storm  to 
give  us  a  welcome  home.  Never  did  the  great,  roaring,  busy 
city  seem  more  attractive  even  in  its  filth.  If  possible  the  dust 
seemed  deeper,  and  the  smells  more  malodorous  than  years  ago. 
However,  it  was  home  to  us. 

Our  welcome  from  the  station  has  been  more  than  we  could 
expect.  The  work  seems  to  be  in  a  healthful  condition.  Dr. 
Blodget  is  working  as  he  always  has  done  up  to  the  limit  of 
his  strength,  and  Mr.  Aiken  is  exercising  a  happy  spiritual  in- 
fluence over  the  native  Christians.  I  am  glad  to  see  some  new 
faces  in  the  group  of  native  Christians  at  our  midweek  prayer- 
meeting.  The  opportunity  for  work,  as  usual,  is  very  great. 
The  front  chapel  does  not  lack  for  listeners  and  the  number  of 
intelligent  hearers  is  increasing. 

Fekingy  Oct  2g,  1888. 
To  Miss  Schirmer  : 

We  have  been  in  Peking  just  two  weeks  and  if  ever  peo- 
ple have  worked,  we  are  the  ones.  We  are  now  settled  in  our 
comfortable  home.  The  children  are  well  and  their  fat  rosy 
cheeks  are  the  delight  of  the  Chinese  and  the  foreigners.  Such 
color  and  fullness  are  not  often  found  within  the  walls  of  this 
filthy  city.  Miss  Wyett  endured  the  journey  very  well,  except 
the  last  stage  in  a  native  boat.  We  have  given  her  two  rooms 
and  she  is  very  comfortable.  We  find  some  improvements  in 
China.  A  railroad  runs  from  the  ocean  to  Tientsin  and  is  pro- 
jected as  far  as  Peking.  Rumors  of  great  things  are  in  the  air. 
Curio  buyers  from  Europe  and  America  have  just  left  Peking 
with  tens  of  thousands  of  dollars'  worth  of  beautiful  things.  I 
am  to  be  proposed  as  a  member  of  the^North  China  Branch  of 


THE  RENEWAL  OF  LIFE  IN  CHINA      99 

the   Royal    Asiatic   Society  on    the  strength  of  an  article  on 
"Chinese  Currency"  which  I  have  only  in  manuscript. 

December  8,  1888. 
To  Dr.  Smith  : 

Mr.  Aiken  and  I  have  just  returned  from  a  tour  to  our 
country  regions  connected  with  this  station.  We  left  Peking 
November  4th,  ourselves  in  a  cart  drawn  by  two  mules  and 
Helper  Hung  following  on  a  donkey  purchased  for  the  occasion 
but  sold  on  our  return  so  that  his  travelling  expenses  were 
greatly  reduced  thereby.  Mr.  Aiken  has  adopted  the  native 
costume,  barring  the  queue,  for  country  work,  while  I  still  wear 
the  foreign  dress  and  remain  a  genuine  specimen  of  the  foreign 
devil.  We  took  our  first  meal  at  a  large  market  town  called 
Huang  Tsun,  thirty  li  from  the  city. 

The  following  day  we  reached  the  market  town  of  Nan 
Meng.  We  have  only  one  convert  in  this  vicinity,  a  young 
man  who  has  been  in  the  church  only  one  year.  He  was  of 
great  assistance  in  selling  books  at  the  fair  and  told  his  story 
with  great  simplicity  and  some  power.  For  two  evenings  we 
held  meetings  at  the  inn.  On  the  second  evening,  eight  men 
gave  in  their  names  as  seekers  after  truth.  Among  these  eight 
were  two  literary  gentlemen,  one  of  considerable  repute  as  a 
teacher,  who  sent  three  of  his  brightest  pupils  to  visit  us  and 
learn  for  themselves  of  the  religion  which  he  was  ready  to  rec- 
ommend. 

Pai  Mu  Chiao  or  Cedar  Bridge  was  our  next  objective  point. 
This  place  with  several  neighboring  villages  has  been  the  scene 
of  gospel  labors  for  many  years  and  a  goodly  number  of  con- 
verts greets  the  missionary.  For  thirteen  years  previous  to  1887 
this  region  had  been  visited  by  annual  floods  and  their  crops 
destroyed  or  seed  not  sown  at  all.  For  two  years  Providence 
has  smiled  favorably  upon  them ;  their  fortunes  have  revived 
and  they  have  good  crops,  comfortable  homes,  and  seem  to  ap- 
preciate the  fact  that  they  are  under  some  obligation  for  all 
these  blessings.  It  would  seem  that  with  forty  adult  members 
any  church  ought  to  be  able  to  go  ahead  and  build  its  own 
chapel  and  do  something  to  support  its  own  pastor,  but  they 
have  been  reluctant  to  make  a  move.  However  now  they  enter 
upon  the  plan  of  having  their  own  place  of  worship  with  some 
enthusiasm.  The  central  village  most  convenient  for  all  the 
members  has  no  room  upon  the  village  knoll,  and  no  one  has 


100  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

space  for  sale.  All  these  villages  are  built  upon  raised  ground 
firmly  packed  to  the  height  of  four  to  six  feet  to  protect  them 
from  the  floods  which  visit  them  so  often.  The  only  thing  to 
do  was  to  look  for  premises  in  the  next  best  village,  but  we 
found  that  the  place  best  located  is  for  sale  at  a  price  quite 
beyond  their  means.  However  the  project  is  not  to  be  dropped 
yet. 

They  have  been  in  a  cold  spiritual  condition  and  some  of 
the  brethren  had  fallen  into  bad  practices.  One  of  these  was 
suspended  for  a  year.  It  seemed  like  a  punishment,  perhaps 
deserved  for  past  delinquencies,  that  before  we  left  he  got  into 
difficulty  in  a  neighboring  village  and  was  seized  and  thrown 
into  prison  on  a  charge  of  criminal  assault.  Though  resolved 
that  we  should  undertake  to  do  nothing  for  any  open  violator  of 
the  law,  we  visited  him  in  prison,  saw  the  iron  chain  about  his 
neck  and  hanging  down  to  his  feet  and  observed  his  generally 
pitiable  condition.  He  was  dressed  in  the  thinnest  garments, 
suitable  for  warm  weather  only,  and  had  eaten  nothing  for  two 
days.  His  pride  was  not  yet  broken  and  he  excused  himself 
for  his  misdeeds  in  several  very  lame  efforts.  His  friends  suc- 
ceeded in  seeing  him  after  some  four  days  and  reported  that  he 
had  received  no  food  or  water  in  all  that  time,  and  his  tongue 
was  so  swollen  that  he  could  hardly  speak.  Dante's  inferno  is 
a  feeble  representation  of  the  horrors  of  a  Chinese  prison,  reek- 
ing with  filth  and  the  victims  chained  in  the  most  uncomfortable 
attitudes  and  not  fed  or  watered,  unless  their  friends  come  for- 
ward with  a  very  liberal  sum  of  money,  which  in  most  cases 
they  are  utterly  unable  to  do.  Only  in  the  last  extremity  when 
life  is  almost  extinct  are  the  prisoners  given  food  and  water 
enough  to  keep  soul  and  body  together.  Our  poor  brother  is 
caught  in  the  meshes  of  a  Chinese  lawsuit,  and  he  may  be 
thankful  if  he  escapes  with  his  life.  This  is  an  object  lesson 
which  we  trust  the  little  church  will  diligently  consider  and  be 
warned  thereby. 

In  most  newly  opened  places  the  little  church  has  to  pass 
through  certain  incipient  forms  of  persecution  before  the  work 
is  fairly  estabhshed.  If  a  temple  is  to  be  repaired  or  built  or  a 
theatre  is  held  in  the  village  in  honor  of  some  god  every  citi- 
zen is  called  upon  to  contribute  according  to  his  tax  list.  By 
treaty  provision  our  Christians  are  free  from  this  tax.  The  vil- 
lage head  men  often  ignore  this  clause  of  the  treaty  or  are  ignorant 
of  it  and  browbeat  the  church-members  until  sometimes  they 


THE  KENEWAL  OF  LIFE  IN  CHINA    101 

pay  the  tax  to  escape  the  petty  persecution.  In  this  village  the 
head  man  was  willing  to  leave  the  matter  in  abeyance  till  the 
foreign  pastor  came  and  gave  the  ultimate  decision.  When  we 
arrived  there  was  great  curiosity  on  the  part  of  many  to  hear 
the  discussion  and  our  reasons  for  refusing  to  assist  in  the  sup- 
port of  a  theatre  company  which  was  doing  so  much  to  enter- 
tain the  people  and  which  came  at  the  request  of  the  most 
respectable  families  in  the  place.  It  gave  us  a  good  opportunity 
to  explain  our  principles  to  the  very  people  we  were  most  anxious 
to  reach  and  at  the  same  time  vindicate  our  Christians  in  the 
position  they  took  which  the  uninstructed  attributed  to  nothing 
more  than  penuriousness. 

It  was  a  great  pleasure  to  be  able  to  make  a  short  visit  to 
Pao  Ting  Fu  where  my  first  three  years  in  mission  work  were 
spent.  Here  also  were  indications  of  growth  and  improve- 
ment. New  faces  were  seen  shining  with  a  new  light,  and  new 
voices  were  heard  in  prayer  and  praise.  The  new  premises  in 
the  south  suburb  are  already  occupied  by  Dr.  Merritt  and  Mr. 
Winchester  and  their  families  who  are  established  in  their  large, 
airy,  sunny  rooms  with  ample  space  outside,  free  from  malaria, 
for  air  and  exercise.  The  future  of  this  station  now  seems 
secured  and  people  can  live  here  if  they  can  live  anywhere. 

We  hastened  on  to  Cho  Chou,  a  name  familiar  to  you  from 
letters  written  about  the  work  there  by  different  ones  for  the  last 
seventeen  years. 

While  in  Cho  Chou  we  were  favored  with  a  good  view  of  the 
lineal  descendant  of  Confucius  in  the  seventieth  generation. 
He  is  a  young  man  about  twenty  years  of  age  and  has  just  been 
to  Peking  to  celebrate  his  marriage.  As  he  is  the  first  subject 
in  the  empire,  outranking  all  princes  and  nobles  except  those  of 
royal  blood,  he  travels  with  great  display,  wholly,  of  course,  at 
imperial  expense.  He,  his  mother,  and  his  bride  were  carried 
in  blue  sedan  chairs  with  eight  bearers,  each  preceded  by  a 
company  of  soldiers  and  an  officer  who  carried  the  Emperor's 
passport  strapped  carefully  to  his  back,  so  arranged  that  the 
royal  yellow  silk  document  was  visible  to  all.  An  immense 
train  of  horsemen  and  carts  followed  in  the  rear.  Nothing  could 
exceed  the  perfect  respect  and  reverence  with  which  this  **  holy 
man"  with  the  blood  of  the  great  Confucius,  "  The  Perfect 
One,"  flowing  in  his  veins,  is  regarded  by  all  classes  of  the  peo- 
ple. Though  the  streets  were  lined  with  people,  hardly  a  word 
was  spoken  or  a  motion  made  as  the  procession  went  past. 


102  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

This  boy  has  a  nation  at  his  feet.  Notwithstanding  his 
ancestry  and  the  high  honors  paid  him,  the  boy  is  a  degraded 
opium-smoker  and  his  kindred,  I  am  told,  are  in  a  state  of  great 
decay.  But  as  an  advertisement  of  Confucianism  he  is  a  great 
success.  Princes  struggle  for  a  glance  at  him  or  a  word  with 
him  and  all  classes  count  it  an  honor  to  have  him  pass  through 
their  borders.  It  would  take  hardier  and  more  substantial 
virtues  than  Confucianism  can  create  to  endure  the  weakening 
influence  of  seventy  generations  of  mental  and  physical  inac- 
tivity. 


Pao  Ting  Fuy  Aug.  ig,  i88g. 
Dear  Dr.  Smith  : 

You  will  no  doubt  be  interested  in  a  brief  account  of 
the  first  Congregational  ordination  in  China. 


Place  :  Pao  Ting  Fu. 
Time  :  August  i8,  i88g. 
At  our  last  annual  meeting  it  was  decided  to  proceed  as 
early  as  convenient  to  the  ordination  of  six  young  men,  three 
of  whom  were  connected  with  Tung-chow,  two  with  Peking  and 
one  with  Pao  Ting  Fu.  Early  in  the  summer  letters  missive 
from  the  church  in  Pao  Ting  Fu  were  sent  to  the  various 
churches  of  our  order,  desiring  their  presence  by  pastor  and 
delegate.  The  council  met  on  Saturday,  Mr.  Sheffield  as 
chairman,  and  unanimously  recommended  the  young  man, 
Meng  Ch'ang  Ch'un,  for  ordination.  Being  laid  aside  by  an 
attack  of  sickness  he  could  not  pass  the  ordeal  of  a  public  ex- 
amination. But  the  native  brethren  gladly  testified  to  Meng's 
qualifications  for  the  office  of  pastor.  His  theological  in- 
structor, Mr.  Sheffield,  could  speak  as  to  his  doctrinal  sound- 
ness. Perhaps  no  man  ever  had  fewer  enemies  or  more  gen- 
erally commended  himself  to  all  by  his  self-control  and 
wisdom  in  speech  and  action.  His  father  you  will  recall  as 
the  first  convert  in  Pao  Ting  Fu  and  the  pillar  in  the  church 
for  years.  Young  Meng  is  thoroughly  Christian  in  all  his  ideas 
and  sympathizes  with  all  that  is  good  and  helpful  in  church 
life.  It  is  an  auspicious  day  in  North  China  when  such  a  man 
is  set  aside  to  the  gospel  ministry. 


THE  RENEWAL  OF  LIFE  IN  CHINA    103 

On  Sabbath  morning  the  chapel  was  filled  to  overflowing, 
many  country  members  coming  in  to  witness  the  first  ordina- 
tion. The  exercises  opened  with  an  explanation  of  the  occasion 
by  Mr.  Pierson.  Following  this  prayer  was  offered  by  Mr. 
Orr  Ewing  of  the  China  Inland  Mission  who  was  providentially 
present.  The  sermon  was  preached  by  Mr.  Sheffield  from 
I  Timothy  iv.  12,  presenting  Christ  as  the  model  Pastor  and 
exhorting  the  candidate  to  imitate  Him.  The  charge  to  the 
candidate  was  given  by  Mr,  Ament,  followed  by  the  ordaining 
prayer  offered  by  Mr.  Stanley.  The  young  man  was  only  able 
to  be  present  by  reclining  on  a  long  chair  supported  by  pillows. 
Mr.  Aiken  tendered  the  right  hand  of  fellowship.  A  very  in- 
teresting incident  was  the  singing  of  a  hymn  composed  by 
Brother  Kung,  a  young  theological  student  from  Tung-chow. 
It  was  beautiful  in  thought  and  expression  and  well  adapted  to 
the  occasion. 

Peking,  Nov.  20,  i88g. 

To  Miss  SCHIRMER  : 

Miss  Wyett  does  not  improve  in  the  climate  of  China. 
She  has  been  in  poor  health  all  summer  and  autumn,  but  is 
now  beginning  to  move  about  a  litde.  The  wonder  is  that  a 
person  so  frail  can  do  anything  at  all.  She  paints  on  Chinese 
silk  representations  of  the  flowers  of  China,  making  very  beau- 
tiful pictures.  My  blessed  little  children  are  a  great  comfort 
to  us.  I  only  repeat  the  testimony  of  others  when  I  say  that 
Emily  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  attractive  children  that 
one  usually  meets.  Her  golden  hair  hangs  in  ringlets  over  her 
rosy  blond  face.  Always  smiling — when  not  crying — she 
sheds  sweetness  and  cheerfulness  everywhere.  Though  not  yet 
six,  she  is  invited  to  many  places  in  the  city  with  girls  older 
than  herself.  She  is  the  only  foreign  child  I  know  that  does 
not  lose  her  rosy  cheeks  in  coming  to  this  pestilential  city.  As 
to  our  work,  that  is  prosperous.  I  took  a  little  empty  shop  in 
a  distant  part  of  the  city  and  now  we  have  full  congregations 
and  are  about  to  organize  a  church.  Mary  has  an  industrial 
class  for  the  women  and  tries  to  teach  them  while  they  sew. 
She  has  little  money  for  women's  work  and  is  trying  to  sell 
their  work  to  help  their  wages,  which  is  seven  cents  a  day  for 
women.  Four  men  arose  in  our  little  prayer-meeting  to-day 
and  said  their  minds  were  made  up  to  try  and  live  Christian 
lives. 


104:  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Peking,  Feb.  8,  i8go. 
To  Dr.  Smith  : 

Your  letter  of  December  20th  arrived  in  Peking  while  I 
was  absent  on  a  tour  in  the  country.  On  my  return  I  haste  to 
reply.  After  we  left  the  hills  last  September  and  my  little  son 
and  myself  had  fully  recovered  from  our  long  illnesses,  I  settled 
down  to  work  with  all  my  strength,  hoping  to  make  up  lost 
time  and  keep  my  record  of  work  full.  As  you  will  recall  one 
year  ago  last  January  the  work  of  this  station  was  divided  into 
three  parts,  the  North  Chapel  and  the  accompanying  work  in 
Cho  Chou  and  Liang  Hsiang  being  assigned  to  me. 

Though  beginning  with  only  a  few  schoolboys  we  have  now 
a  delightful  audience  of  forty  or  more,  every  man,  woman,  and 
child  of  whom  I  know  by  more  than  ordinary  acquaintance. 
Before  the  close  of  the  Chinese  old  year  we  had  a  series  of 
meetings  lasting  a  month  or  more  with  good  results.  Owing 
to  the  increase  of  robberies  and  murders  of  late,  the  Emperor 
had  issued  an  edict  closing  all  gambling  and  opium  establish- 
ments. Of  course  the  places  will  all  open  again  after  the  new 
year,  but  as  for  two  or  three  months  they  were  out  of  employ- 
ment, they  flocked  to  our  chapel  as  a  good  warm  lounging 
place.  I  encouraged  them  to  come  and  sometimes  we  had 
from  forty  to  sixty  men,  keepers  or  frequenters  of  gambling  and 
opium  dens.  You  will  be  pleased  to  hear  that  most  of  the 
preaching  at  our  North  Chapel  is  done  by  men  who  receive  no 
compensation  from  the  mission  but  do  this  as  a  glad  contribu- 
tion to  the  work.  Two  of  the  three  men  who  help  in  that 
work  are  Manchus  and  receive  monthly  stipends  from  the 
government  and  are  nominal  soldiers,  though  doubtless  they 
never  fired  off  a  gun.  The  idea  of  trying  to  do  something  for 
themselves  is  quite  popular  with  our  North  Chapel  people.  I 
shall  propose  soon  that  they  pay  for  the  chapel  fuel,  also  help 
in  the  support  of  the  day-school.  Already  they  have  bought 
their  own  hymn-books,  responsive  readings,  communion 
service  (such  as  it  is),  have  helped  an  afflicted  brother  and 
done  other  small  things. 

I  am  very  busy  just  now  preparing  (or  trying  to)  a  few  lec- 
tures for  the  Tung -chow  students  on  practical  methods  of 
Christian  work. 

Peking,  April  21,  j8go. 
In  Peking  it  is  only  fair  to  mention  that  there  are  special 
difficulties   in   the   line  of  church   development.     The   chief 


THE  EENEWAL  OF  LIFE  IN  CHINA    105 

hindrance  is  the  shifting  character  of  the  population.  Our 
best  members  may  have  their  homes  a  hundred  miles  away 
and  may  return  at  any  time.  We  are  making  special  efforts  to 
draw  in  the  Manchus  who  have  their  homes  right  about  us. 
As  a  rule  here  our  congregations  are  smaller  than  our  member- 
ship.    The  members  are  scattered  all  over  North  China. 


In  May,  1890,  the  second  missionary  conference  for 
China  was  held  at  Shanghai,  as  the  first  one  in  1877  had 
been.  It  is  recorded  that  in  1865  there  were  two  thou- 
sand baptized  Protestant  communicants.  This  number 
had  increased  in  1877  to  thirteen  thousand.  It  had  ad- 
vanced to  thirty-seven  thousand  in  this  year  of  the  con- 
ference. 

The  coming  together  of  so  many  workers  from  every 
part  of  China  made  a  deep  impression.  By  their  ability, 
their  harmony,  their  high  purpose  and  far-reaching  plans 
they  won  a  place  for  mission  work  among  the  commercial 
and  diplomatic  people  hitherto  unattained. 

One  effect  was  a  change  in  the  attitude  of  the  local 
press  towards  the  missionary  propaganda.  Another  ex- 
cellent result  was  the  widening  of  the  field  of  correspond- 
ence published  in  the  Shanghai  papers.  Since  this 
change  the  best  information  regarding  all  Chinese  affairs 
has  been  from  the  missionaries  distributed  over  the  em- 
pire. Mr.  Ament  shared  in  the  regular  and  special  cor- 
respondence from  Peking. 

Aside  from  the  fine  spirit  of  harmony  in  mutual  efforts 
the  chief  results  of  the  conference  were  the  organization 
of  an  education  association,  and  the  appointing  of  com- 
mittees to  overlook  the  revising  of  the  sacred  Scriptures 
in  the  Chinese  language.  Our  North  China  Mission  was 
well  represented  in  each  of  the  three  boards  of  revisers, 
and  has  had  a  marked  influence  in  molding  the  standards 
of  the  new  versions. 


106  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

January  lO,  i8gi. 
To  Secretary  Smith  : 

The  death  of  the  father  of  the  Emperor,  the  seventh 
prince  (seventh  son  of  the  old  Emperor  Tao  Kuang  who  made 
such  a  noble  effort  to  put  down  the  opium  traffic),  leaves  an 
aching  void  among  men  of  progressive  spirit  in  China.  His 
mind  was  open  to  new  ideas  and  he  was  meditating  marked 
changes  and  had  already  advised  the  young  Emperor  to  grant 
the  audience  question. 

Our  station  has  had  a  year  of  prosperous  work.  The  South 
Chapel  reports  thirty-eight  baptisms  (including  thirteen  school- 
girls) and  my  North  Chapel  records  thirty  baptisms,  being  a 
net  gain  of  twenty-eight  adults.  But  in  my  country  field  the 
outlook  is  still  more  encouraging.  At  Cho  Chou  after  years 
of  effort  we  have  now  succeeded  in  securing  satisfactory  prem- 
ises in  a  good  location. 

March  3,  i8gi, 
I  am  exceedingly  happy  to  be  able  to  state  definitely  that  in 
both  city  and  country  the  whole  aspect  of  affairs  has  changed. 
The  clouds  which  seemed  so  dark  and  lowering,  prophetic  of 
a  tornado,  have  only  dropped  refreshment  in  parched  places 
and  the  harvest  has  come  with  almost  the  rapidity  of  a  miracle. 
After  I  dismissed  my  station  class,  I  started  for  a  tour  to  Pu 
An  Tun  where  the  young  helper  Jen  Hsueh  Hai  is,  and  Cho 
Chou  ;  in  the  former  place  to  arrange  for  the  continuance  of 
the  little  school,  and  in  the  latter  to  complete  the  purchase  of 
our  premises.  The  Spirit  of  the  living  God  was  there 
before  me,  to  my  glad  surprise.  The  station  class  men  had 
returned  home  only  to  go  to  work  like  heroes  to  convert  their 
fellow  townsmen,  and  the  helper  and  his  wife  (one  of  Miss 
Chapin's  girls)  had  risen  to  their  opportunity  and  a  revival 
was  at  its  flood  tide  when  I  reached  there.  By  day  and  by 
night  the  rooms  of  the  preacher's  house  had  been  full  of  men 
and  women,  studying  as  well  as  listening  to  gospel  truth. 
Their  home  was  a  busy  hive  of  Christian  industry.  The  best 
of  it  was  that  the  people  had  come  by  families  so  that  often 
father,  mother,  and  children  would  be  studying  the  same  lesson 
in  the  catechism  and  trying  to  be  mutually  helpful.  The  people 
said  that  for  ten  years  they  had  been  in  a  state  of  dread  of  the 
foreigners,  hearing  so  many  rumors  of  kidnapping  children, 
etc.,  but  that  of  late  they  had  no  fears  at  all,  but  on  the  con- 


^40- 


Ssu  ^^,ng,Jing 


116° 


30' 


PEKI 


Shun  Yi 


-40 


^•^ 


Fang 


^Tung  Pa 


<s\v->3^^^     iiu  Kou  Chia<^ 


;LiangHsian| 


Pu  An  Tun ' 


.# 


Cho  Chou 


Ping  Ting 


Pa  Chouj, 


Nan  Meng 


'TungChou 


v\^ 


O^ 


^aTXS 


An  Chou 


Pa( 


Pao  Ting  Jb  u 


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'Jen  Chiu. 


Ho  Chien  Fu 


)Fan  Chia  Chuang 
Wen  An 


OUT    STATIONS 

OF 

PEKING    CHURCH 


116 '30' 


THE  EENEWAL  OF  LIFE  IN  CHINA    107 

trary  a  great  desire  to  learn  the  great  truths  which  seemed  the 
mainspring  of  their  action.  There  seemed  to  be  genuine 
hunger  for  spiritual  truth.  They  never  were  weary  of  the 
meetings.  In  the  few  days  it  was  my  pleasure  to  be  with  them 
they  seemed  to  grow  every  minute  of  the  time.  Most  of  them 
made  a  good  start  in  committing  to  memory  the  Apostles' 
Creed,  Lord's  Prayer,  and  the  Ten  Commandments.  They  felt 
a  loyalty  to  the  church  which  is  a  rare  feature  among  many  of 
our  native  brethren.  They  took  upon  themselves  the  duty  of 
looking  after  the  weak  ones.  On  my  return  from  Cho  Chou, 
by  the  aid  of  the  helper  and  two  or  three  church- members, 
thirty-eight  persons  were  picked  out  as  presenting  evidences  of 
conversion  and  a  fair  comprehension  of  the  Gospel. 

As  to  the  North  Chapel  in  Peking,  we  are  now  fully  cut  loose 
from  the  South  Church  and  have  set  up  housekeeping  for  our- 
selves with  a  membership  of  over  one  hundred,  including  both 
city  and  country.  Our  chapel  is  open  both  afternoon  and 
evening  and  the  audiences  are  large  and  attentive.  The 
brethren  are  recovering  from  their  state  of  lethargy  and  of 
their  own  accord  have  invited  one  of  their  number  to  be  a 
regular  helper  in  the  chapel.  They  pledged  his  support,  though 
of  course  they  will  expect,  as  they  will  need,  generous  aid  from 
the  foreigners. 

Pekmg,  May  2j,  i8gi. 
You  will  have  heard  ere  this  of  our  annual  meeting. 
We  had  an  unusually  pleasant  time,  though  the  attendance  was 
small.  It  seems  to  me  that  our  natives  need  just  such  meetings 
to  teach  them  how  to  do  business  in  a  Congregational  way, 
also  to  bring  them  into  touch  sympathetically  with  the  for- 
eigners and  to  brighten  them  up  generally  for  their  work. 
The  tremendous  inertia  of  Chinese  heathenism  drags  on  our 
helpers  as  on  ourselves.  Our  seven  stations  are  almost  seven 
missions y  each  one  making  its  own  demands  and  needs  promi- 
nent at  our  meeting, 

Peking,  July  8,  i8gi. 
My  dear  Mother  : 

Yesterday  I  returned  from  my  long  summer  trip  to 
Cho  Chou  and  the  country  in  general.  This  morning  the  rain 
is  gently  falling,  which  would  have  made  the  roads  impassable 
had  I  waited  another  day.     I  received  your  letter  of  April  26th, 


108  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

and  it  did  me  worlds  of  good,  being  so  full  of  courage  and 
cheer.  On  returning  I  found  letters  from  Edith  and  Anna, 
giving  the  sad  news  of  the  death  of  Father  Penfield. 

In  Cho  Chou  the  people  of  a  certain  village,  where  I  had 
distributed  famine  relief,  made  me  a  present  of  a  fine 
tablet  to  be  hung  over  the  door  of  the  chapel.  This  was  so 
much  of  an  honor  that  people  from  long  distances  came  to  see 
it  and  offer  their  congratulations.  It  will  do  a  good  deal  to 
keep  us  on  friendly  footing  with  the  people.  In  the  south  the 
missions  are  having  great  trouble  with  the  gentry  and  dis- 
affected folk  of  all  classes,  and  the  work  is  in  great  danger,  but 
here  the  people  seem  most  friendly  and  it  is  rare  to  hear  a  word 
of  disrespect. 

Mary  is  improving  in  health  in  Kalgan  and  I  trust  will  be  a 
new  woman  when  she  comes  down.  Her  father's  death  will 
be  a  great  shock  to  her,  but  she  is  a  woman  of  courage  and 
will  bear  it  like  a  Christian. 

Peking^  Oct.  22^  i8gi. 
To  Medina  Friends  : 

Dear  Mrs.  Darnley  and  Brother  John  : — Your  letter 
just  came  in  as  we  were  returning  from  our  annual  meeting  at 
Tientsin  and  we  are  making  arrangements  for  our  annual  flit 
from  this  pestilential  city.  I  took  Mrs.  Ament  and  the  chil- 
dren to  Kalgan,  our  station  on  the  Great  Wall,  five  days'  hard 
travel  to  the  northwest  of  Peking.  There  they  are  on  a  high 
plateau,  with  pure  air  free  from  city  smells  and  miasms. 
Bostwick  and  I  returned  to  our  posts,  he  at  Tientsin.  Medina 
may  well  be  proud  of  such  a  fine  fellow  as  Harry  Bostwick, 
an  expert  business  man  and  staunch  Christian.  Our  mail 
coming  is  quite  an  event.  I  had  a  letter  from  my  mother  re- 
porting her  in  the  best  of  health.  I  found  a  good  list  of  sub- 
scribers for  a  new  magazine  that  I  edit.  Of  course  I  do  not 
allow  literary  work  to  interfere  in  any  serious  manner  with  my 
evangelical  work,  which  I  consider  my  chief  duty  and  my 
greatest  joy. 

Last  evening  was  my  first  evening  meeting  in  my  little 
chapel.  A  very  fair  audience  assembled  and  remained  to  the 
close.  The  evening  preachers  are  men  who  freely  give  of 
their  time  and  strength  for  this  glorious  work.  My  chapel  is 
now  open  every  day  and  evening  and  perhaps  four  different 
men  preach  during  the  day.     I  can  see  as  never  before  the 


THE  KENEWAL  OF  LIFE  IN  CHINA    109 

immense  reach  and  scope  of  God's  great  scheme  of  redemption. 
It  touches  human  society  in  every  part  and  dignifies  and 
ennobles  life.  It  includes  everything  of  interest  or  value  to 
man. 

A  remarkable  proclamation  has  just  been  issued  by  the 
Emperor,  in  which  he  calls  upon  the  mandarins  to  protect  all 
preachers,  as  we  are  engaged  in  a  work  that  benefits  the  people 
and  does  no  harm  to  the  state.  In  the  southern  part  of  the 
empire  the  Christians  have  been  seriously  persecuted,  one  mis- 
sionary murdered,  houses  and  chapels  burned  and  vile  placards 
put  up  all  over  the  country.  Here,  in  the  north,  in  the  very 
centre  of  influence,  everything  is  quiet  and  a  cordial  greeting 
given  to  the  preacher. 

Willie  is  now  quite  a  boy,  roystering  about  the  compound, 
making  a  racket  with  a  drum  or  flageolet,  climbing  the  walls 
in  imminent  danger  of  his  neck,  begging  to  ride  my  mule, 
tormenting  his  sister,  now  working  with  kindergarten  materials, 
learning  to  read,  wanting  to  ask  the  blessing  at  the  table,  to 
shave  with  my  razor.  Daily  we  see  the  growth  of  conscience 
and  an  appreciation  of  what  is  good  and  best.  Emily  is  de- 
veloping rapidly,  writes  and  reads  nicely.  Poor  children,  they 
have  no  companions  and  it  is  only  occasionally  they  can  romp 
with  other  children  distant  a  mile  or  two  away. 

Cordially  yours,  in  the  Master's  service  and  the  discipline 
of  the  Gospel, 

W.  S.  Ament. 


Peking^  Dec.  17,  i8gi. 
To  Secretary  Smith  : 

It  is  some  time  since  I  have  seized  the  opportunity  to 
write  to  you.  I  have  been  rather  waiting  to  see  what  would 
be  the  upshot  of  recent  political  agitations,  and  to  know 
whether  or  not  we  would  all  be  invited  to  move  to  the  sea- 
board. 

Our  new  little  paper.  The  North  China  News,  meets  with  a 
cordial  reception.  It  keeps  me  rather  busy,  but  the  preparation 
of  the  paper  is  a  respite  from  other  labors  which  are  more  try- 
ing. I  should  be  most  dissatisfied  if  it  interfered  with  my 
work  as  a  preaching  missionary,  than  which  there  is  no  more 
compensating  and  delightsome  work  under  the  sun. 


110  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Report  of  Mission  Depositary  for  i8go-i8gi : 

We  believe  the  grand  desideratum  in  our  literature  to 
be  the  tract,  which  will  do  for  Chinese  readers  what  some  tracts 
have  done  for  English  readers.  Such  a  tract  cannot  be  trans- 
lated, it  must  come  fresh  and  warm  from  some  heart  which 
feels  the  need  it  endeavors  to  supply.  The  Chinaman  will 
read  to  the  finish  a  sheet  tract,  while  the  book,  though  even 
of  a  few  pages,  will  be  laid  aside.  The  land  should  be  sown 
broadcast  with  these  sheets  which  contain  the  great  essentials 
of  our  faith. 


The  North  China  Tract  Society  at  its  spring  meeting^ 
1891,  decided  to  begin  a  monthly  paper  for  the  benefit  of 
the  Mandarin  speaking  people  of  the  churches.  All 
Chinese  literature  tends  towards  the  concise  and  classical 
style  of  composition.  The  scholars  and  others  look  down 
upon  the  simple  and  colloquial.  The  Christian  Church 
could  not  exist  upon  such  a  basis.  The  Gospel  must  be 
preached  and  read  in  familiar  and  common  forms.  A 
real  Bible  in  the  language  of  the  people  must  be  the  aim 
of  translators.  Thanks  to  this  aim  the  common  people 
of  China  have  a  Bible  which  they  can  read,  understand 
and  inwardly  digest.  Happily  the  best  of  Kuan  Hua, 
the  idiomatic  colloquial  of  three-fourths  of  China,  is  il- 
lustrated in  a  few  widely  known  books  and  in  the  finest 
of  literary  products.  The  American  Board  Press  had 
for  twenty  years  issued  literature  for  Christian  readers, 
aside  from  the  Old  and  :N"ew  Testaments,  in  tracts,  stories, 
hymn-books,  in  a  steady  stream.  The  time  had  come  for 
an  advance  and  the  Church  News  was  the  result,  with  Mr. 
Ament  as  editor. 

The  little  paper  was  made  in  shapely  folio  form, 
printed  on  heavy  white  Chinese  paper,  the  printing  be- 
ing on  both  sides  of  the  sheet,  an  invention  of  Mr.  Hunt, 
quite  unique  at  the  time.  Mr.  Ament  had  a  very  able 
Chinese  writer  for  his  teacher  and  assistant.     He  was 


THE  RENEWAL  OF  LIFE  IN  CHINA    111 

very  fortunate  in  his  selection  of  Chinese  scholars.  One 
of  these  went  from  Pu  An  Tun  to  Germany,  recommended 
by  Mr.  Ament  to  the  legation.  He  remains  there  now  as 
teacher  of  Chinese  in  the  Berlin  University.  Another, 
Chang  Hsi  Hsin,  became  Dr.  Goodrich's  very  able  assist- 
ant in  translating  the  Scriptures. 

The  monthly  labor  upon  the  Church  News  became  of 
very  deep  interest  to  Mr.  Ament.  The  general  make-up 
was  his,  such  as  translation  of  foreign  telegrams,  a  survey 
of  passing  political  events,  the  editing  of  the  news  from 
the  churches,  and  selection  of  articles  sent  in.  The  re- 
sum6  of  the  imperial  edicts  could  be  left  to  the  scribe. 
Most  of  the  articles  were  in  simple  Mandarin,  others  in 
easy  classical,  if  such  there  be.  The  pleasure  of  this 
service  to  the  churches  was  found  in  its  increasingly  use- 
ful character.  Yet  he  assures  his  correspondents  that  it 
was  a  byplay  not  interfering  with  daily  preaching  or  ex- 
tended tours. 

This  editorial  work  continued  until  his  furlough  in 
1897  and  was  resumed  on  his  return  the  following  year. 


Peking,  Sept.  21,  1892. 
To  THE  Medina  Junior  Endeavor  Society  : 

My  dear  Young  FrIends  : — I  am  greatly  delighted  to 
hear  of  the  prosperity  of  your  society  and  trust  it  will  meet 
with  even  greater  success  in  the  future.  I  suppose  I  am  safe  in 
taking  for  granted  that  most  of  the  members  are  not  those  with 
whom  I  used  to  have  such  pleasant  meetings.  Many  of  those  now 
are  doubtless  stalwart  young  men  and  beautiful  young  women, 
active  members  and  loyal  supporters  of  the  regular  Endeavor 
Society.  I  suppose  you  all  know  the  meaning  of  the  word 
**  endeavor."  It  means,  *' on  duty."  The  true  endeavorer  is 
always  on  duty,  ready  to  do  whatever  comes  to  his  hand  "  for 
Christ  and  His  Church." 

You  will  be  much  surprised  to  learn  that  though  I  have 
tried  to  be  a  good  endeavorer,  still  I  do  not  live  within  a  thou- ' 
sand  miles  of  any  endeavor  society  that  I  |cnow  of.     It  is  a 


112  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

melancholy  fact.  I  shall  have  to  confess  that  the  greatest 
Christian  movement  of  modern  times  is  not  represented  in 
Peking  or  North  China.  There  is  a  reason  for  this.  Thirty 
years  ago  there  was  not  a  Protestant  Christian  in  this  great 
city  of  Peking.  There  may  be  as  many  as  six  hundred  now, 
but  they  are  scattered  over  a  large  area.  Most  of  them  are 
very  poor  and  have  to  live  from  hand  to  mouth,  so  they  never 
have  any  time  for  anything  outside  the  usual  duties.  On  Sab- 
bath they  will  usually  come  for  the  morning  service,  after  that 
we  may  not  see  them  again  till  the  next  Sunday.  If  one  of 
our  Christians  works  for  a  heathen  master,  he  has  only  to  men- 
tion keeping  the  Sabbath,  or  attendance  on  any  of  our  meetings, 
in  order  to  lose  his  place  at  once. 

A  few  years  in  the  heathen  land  would  make  you  think  Me- 
dina a  perfect  Paradise.  I  know  that  people  are  not  all  as 
good  as  they  ought  to  be  but  still  it  is  heaven  as  compared 
with  Peking. 

But  it  is  not  all  dark,  even  here.  As  I  sit  writing  there  is  a 
young  Chinese  in  my  house  playing  on  a  baby  organ  and  the 
sweet  notes  of  *'  What  a  friend  we  have  in  Jesus  "  come  wafted 
to  my  ears,  telling  me  that  Jesus  is  working  even  here.  This 
young  man  was  once  a  '*  street  rat,"  as  wild  and  wicked  as  he 
could  be.  His  father  was  a  miserable  besotted  opium-smoker, 
just  ready  to  drop  into  the  grave.  He  gave  me  this  boy  and  I 
have  now  supported  him  more  than  ten  years.  He  has  fallen 
into  many  sins,  been  dismissed  from  our  church,  but  has  held 
on,  and  has  been  held  on  to,  until  now  he  has  graduated  from 
our  mission  college,  and  in  a  few  days  begins  to  study  for  the 
Christian  ministry,  one  of  the  most  hopeful  young  men  in  the 
mission.  He  has  a  conscience,  feels  the  weight  of  his  sins, 
and  fights  for  victory  like  a  hero.  But  such  boys  are  rare  and 
we  cannot  get  enough  of  them  together  in  one  place  to  form  a 
Christian  Endeavor  Society.  We  have  Christians  who  come  to 
church  from  homes  where  they  are  reviled  for  so  doing.  All 
it  needs  is  time,  patience,  and  the  spirit  of  God  to  make  these 
Chinese  Christians  as  good  as  any  you  will  find  in  the  world. 
I  hope  you  will  pray  for  them  and  study  about  them  so  that 
you  may  know  what  a  great  work  we  are  engaged  in,  and  also 
thank  God  every  day  that  you  were  born  in  a  Christian  land. 

My  little  Emily  comes  in  just  now  and  begs  me  to  go  with 
her  to  the  Greek  church  service,  which  is  held  Saturday  after- 
noon at  four.     It  seems  a  strange  hour  and  the  service  is  still 


THE  RENEAVAL  OF  LIFE  IN  CHINA    113 

stranger.  I  do  not  suppose  any  one  present  understands  the 
words  which  are  intoned.  They  burn  incense  in  a  swinging 
lamp,  and  you  can  hardly  see  across  the  room;  bow  down  to 
thirty  pictures  and  images,  kiss  the  Bible  which  they  never 
read,  and  which  is  kept  locked  with  a  clasp  on  the  lids,  make 
genuflections,  wear  many  and  queer  garments  and  withal  are 
quite  as  interesting  as  a  theatre.  It  makes  one  feel  bad  to  see 
such  splendid  opportunities  as  these  wasted.  The  Russian 
priests  are  under  the  protection  of  the  government  and  the 
Emperor  of  China,  but  they  make  scarce  any  effort  to  spread 
abroad  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  The  Greek  church  has 
been  in  Peking  over  two  hundred  years  and  I  do  not  suppose 
they  have  over  two  hundred  followers  now. 

Well,  the  world  will  be  different  when  you  and  other  mem- 
bers of  the  junior  societies  have  grown  up  and  have  gone  out  to 
make  the  world  better  and  richer  for  your  Christian  efforts. 
May  the  Lord  bless  and  keep  you  all.  Your  society  lies  very 
near  my  heart,  and  when  I  was  obliged  to  leave  you  and  come 
away  to  China,  I  received  a  wrench  from  which  I  have  never 
recovered.  You  know  that  your  church  is  the  only  one  which 
the  Lord  ever  permitted  me  to  minister  to  in  a  Christian  land, 
and  you  are  the  only  children  I  was  allowed  to  love  through 
service  and  sacrifice.  Hence  I  am  drawn  to  you  with  an  un- 
divided affection  and  I  trust  you  will  never  give  me  reason  to 
believe  or  know  that  my  labor  at  Medina  was  in  vain.  Keep 
close  to  Jesus  in  undying  loyalty.  Be  true  to  your  pastor  and 
the  church  and  you  will  always  rejoice  in  the  Christian  life. 
Remember  that  foreign  missions  are  the  great  work  of  the 
Church.  You  are  to  convert  the  world.  I  am  continually 
starting  little  Sabbath-schools,  churches,  and  helping  boys  and 
young  men  in  getting  an  education.  If  you  care  to  do  any- 
thing for  the  boys  and  girls  here  send  your  contribution  direct 
to  me,  and  I  will  see  that  it  is  well  expended. 

Good-bye  and  God  bless  you  all,  every  one. 
Your  friend  in  China, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

Peking,  Oct.  i8,  i8q2. 
To  Dr.  Smith  : 

My  North  Chapel  has  just  been  put  in  repair  so  it  looks 
fit  for  human  habitation.  In  spite  of  all  that  we  can  do  it 
leaks  badly  every  summer,  necessitating  complete  repairing  and 


114  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

whitewashing.  Being  rented,  we  are  in  the  hands  of  the  land- 
lord and  cannot  make  extensive  alterations.  The  floor  is  three 
feet  below  the  level  of  the  street  and  is  always  black  with 
moisture.  For  twenty  years  the  room  has  had  water  standing 
in  it  every  summer,  till  the  last  two  years  when  the  break-water 
had  been  built.  Three  fires  in  the  winter  seem  to  have  no  more 
effect  in  reducing  the  damp  exhalations  from  the  floors  than 
though  they  were  not.  In  the  rear  the  rooms  for  the  helper 
are  no  better.  Certainly  in  the  United  States  it  would  not  be 
considered  safe  to  stable  a  horse  in  such  a  place.  On  Sabbath 
days,  holding  meetings  with  the  women,  Mrs.  Ament  is  often 
obliged  to  get  up  and  go  out  in  order  to  breathe.  Such  rooms 
are  also  all  I  have  in  which  to  house  my  station  class  this 
winter.  This  without  exaggeration  is  the  condition  of  the 
place  we  call  the  North  Chapel  and  in  which  I  am  supposed  to 
be  able  to  build  up  a  church.  Notwithstanding  all  this  our 
success  has  been  such  as  to  warrant  me  in  lifting  up  my  voice 
and  claiming  better  quarters.  It  is  absolutely  hopeless  to  ex- 
pect that  our  few  native  Christians,  all  poor,  will  be  able  to 
help  in  this  matter.  The  most  that  we  can  expect  is  that  they 
will  largely  assist  in  the  running  expenses. 

The  days  at  the  old  North  Church  were  golden  days, 
despite  the  chill  of  the  dark  rooms  in  the  rear.  There 
women  could  creep  in  by  a  side  door  and  receive  instruc- 
tion from  Mrs.  Ament  herself,  a  wearying  yet  satisfying 
work  leading  to  the  great  end,  the  rescue  of  men  and 
women  from  their  ignorance  and  sorrow.  The  long  walks 
to  and  fro,  the  surly  neighbors  and  the  weariness  were 
forgotten  in  the  joy  of  touching  some  lives  that  could  be 
rescued  and  brought  into  the  kingdom  of  light.  When 
Emily  grew  to  girlhood,  it  was  a  happy  trio  working  to- 
gether. Emily  with  the  little  girls,  and  Mr.  Ament  with 
the  men,  each  pointing  some  eager  heart  to  the  way  of 
truth  and  life. 

The  home  on  the  hilltop  at  the  Western  Hills  in 
summer  was  a  delight  to  them  all.  Emily  and  Willie 
would  spy  their  father  riding  the  white  pony  from  the 
steaming  city  to  the  restful  hillsides  for  a  day  or  two  with 


oc 


THE  RENEWAL  OF  LIFE  IN  CHINA    115 

them.  How  glad  the  welcome  !  Far  away  they  could 
see  the  Yak  tail  waving  and  the  helmeted  figure  sitting  so 
erect  drawing  nearer  and  nearer  until  the  glad  moment  was 
reached  when  the  father  dismounting,  both  the  children 
were  put  in  his  place  on  the  saddle  and  so  rode  proudly 
to  the  door  of  the  little  cottage  on  the  steep  hill,  while 
the  carter  would  bring  up  the  rear  with  bags  of  needed 
supplies  and  no  doubt  the  longed  for  home  mail,  always 
so  welcome. 


"  Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  "  : 
No  glory  that  ever  was  shed, 
From  the  crowning  star  of  the  seven 

That  crowned  the  north  world's  head, 
No  word  that  ever  was  spoken 
Of  human  or  godlike  tongue, 
Gave  ever  such  godlike  token 
Since  human  harps  were  strung. 

— Swinburne. 

We  have  known  sorrow — haply  know  it  still ; 

Let  us  give  reverent  thanks  that  there  is  One 
Whose  strength  unfailing  and  whose  loving  will 

We  all  may  lean  upon ! 

— Scollard. 


VIII 

OUT  OF  THE  DEPTHS 

Fekingf  March  2,  i8gj. 
To  Medina  Friends  : 

To-day  I  sit  down  to  write  you  with  a  heavy  heart  and 
eyes  weary  with  weeping.  The  dread  destroyer  has  entered 
our  home,  and  our  dear  and  only  daughter  has  gone  to  her 
long,  long  home.  Her  long  battle  with  diphtheria  ended  at 
9:30  o'clock,  February  27th.  It  seems  hardly  possible  that 
this  strong,  hearty  and  laughing  girl  is  no  more  on  earth. 
The  pestilence  is  abroad  in  this  dirty  city,  and  loving  a  shin- 
ing mark,  it  struck  down  our  beloved  one.  Great  grace  has 
been  given  us  to  bear  up  under  this  terrible  blow  though  it 
seemed  to  me  for  a  while  as  though  I  could  not  breathe ;  but 
light  is  dawning  and  God  never  seemed  more  near  or  more 
gracious  than  at  the  present  time.  Kind  friends  have  minis- 
tered to  our  comfort.  The  funeral  was  one  of  the  most  largely 
attended  in  Peking,  and  lovely  flowers  now  cover  Emily's 
sleeping  place.  But  she  is  not  there  in  the  cold  ground ;  she 
is  basking  in  the  light  of  the  Saviour's  presence.  She  is 
better  there.  Some  of  the  friends  in  Medina  will  remember 
the  little  laughing  maiden  who  loved  all  and  was  loved  of  all. 
Medina  was  the  only  place  in  the  United  States  which  she 
remembered,  and  often  she  mentioned  it  in  her  prayers.  She 
was  not  yet  nine  years  old,  but  being  large  and  strong  was 
often  taken  to  be  much  older.  She  was  also  quite  mature  and 
already  had  her  class  of  little  Chinese  girls  in  Sunday-school. 

116 


OUT  OF  THE  DEPTHS  117 

Her  Chinese  friends  offered  many  prayers  for  her  recovery  and 
now  weep  bitter  tears  at  her  departure.  One  foreign  friend 
who  knew  of  her  love  for  the  little  girls  comes  forward  and  offers 
to  give  one  hundred  dollars  towards  founding  a  memorial  school 
to  continue  the  work  she  had  begun.  What  pleasure  this  gives 
us  and  I  trust  the  enterprise  will  not  fail  for  lack  of  support. 
May  it  be  true  of  her  '*she  being  dead  yet  speaketh."  Dear 
child ;  she  was  an  unspeakable  comfort  to  her  mother,  entering 
sympathetically  into  all  her  plans  for  the  Chinese  and  being  a 
great  support  because  of  her  unfailing  good  cheer  and  happiness. 
But  now  all  this  energy  and  strength  can  be  put  to  the  divinest 
service  with  the  Master  at  hand.  What  advantage  she  will 
have  that  she  could  not  have  on  this  earth  !  Such  a  life  may 
end  physically  but  not  in  its  moral  influence  and  personality. 
I  find  myself  trying  to  reproduce  it  by  increased  activity  and 
great  love  in  my  lines  of  work.  Little  Willie,  five  years  old, 
is  still  left  to  us,  but  he  is  not  robust  and  in  this  malarial  and 
pestilential  atmosphere  the  odds  seem  to  be  against  him  in  the 
struggle  for  life.  But  he  belongs  to  God  and  we  resign  him 
to  His  Fatherly  protection,  and  rest  in  that.  He  says  he  is  so 
lonesome.  A  kind  friend  gave  him  to-day  two  white  rabbits 
much  to  the  joy  of  his  heart. 

Our  work  is  progressing  as  well  as  could  be  expected. 
Heathenism  presses  down  with  awful  weight  and  no  human 
power  can  move  it.  But  God  can  and  He  is.  The  spreading 
of  the  Gospel  is  bringing  forth  fruits  apparent  to  all,  none  more 
apparent  than  the  increasing  disposition  of  the  Chinese  to  con- 
tribute for  the  support  of  the  church.  Our  mission  college  has 
just  received  quite  a  fine  sum  of  money,  and  now  we  can  put 
up  appropriate  buildings  and  proceed  to  have  a  large  and 
flourishing  school.  Two  hundred  Christian  Swedes  are  en  route 
for  North  China  to  engage  in  mission  work.  China  must  be 
converted  and  we  must  all  do  our  share.  Keep  the  missionary 
spirit  warm  in  your  endeavor  society,  for  that  is  the  secret  of 
sure  growth,  to  pray  and  work  for  the  world  as  Christ  did. 
Yours  in  Christian  sympathy, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

Peking y  March  21,  i8gj. 
My  very  dear  Miss  Schirmer  : 

Your  long  and  lovely  letter  was  like  water  to  a  thirsty 
soul  and  gives  me  a  sense  of  fullness  which  I  have  not  experi- 


118  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

enced  for  many  a  day.  The  news  of  the  dear  old  friends 
revived  all  the  sweet  memories  of  long  ago  when  we  had  such 
unselfish  association  in  the  great  city.  I  have  here  not  formed 
such  relations.  All  persons  here  are  busy  with  their  appointed 
tasks,  representing  different  missionary  societies,  and  with  dif- 
ferent methods  of  work.  Most  of  them  are  young,  able  people, 
and  there  is  very  little  you  can  do  for  them,  and  you  know  as 
well  as  I  that  there  is  no  genuine  love  between  people  where 
there  is  no  sacrifice  on  the  one  side  or  the  other.  The  Chinese 
are  much  dearer  to  me  than  all  the  foreigners  put  together,  for 
the  very  reason  perhaps  that  I  invest  my  heart  in  them. 

And  now  I  can  wait  no  longer  to  tell  you  of  the  great  grief 
that  has  come  into  our  lives  and  from  which  Mary  and  I  are 
slowly  recovering,  if  that  is  ever  possible.  Diphtheria  has 
been  raging  in  the  city.  Our  children  had  always  been  so  well 
and  strong  that  we  had  almost  ceased  to  be  anxious  about  them. 
On  Sunday,  February  19th,  our  dear  little  Emily  complained  of 
feeling  feverish  and  of  pain  in  her  throat.  Smallpox  was  also 
in  the  city  and  we  called  a  doctor  and  had  her  examined  that  even- 
ing. But  on  Wednesday,  on  looking  into  her  throat,  the  doctor 
saw  white  spots  which  made  him  anxious,  and  on  Thursday  he 
pronounced  it  diphtheria.  Emily  was  isolated  at  once  and  Mary 
and  Miss  Russell  took  their  places  at  her  bedside,  and  worked 
like  heroes  that  they  are  for  the  dear  life  that  was  so  precious 
to  us  and  her  many  friends.  Gangrene  developed.  Our  hopes 
gradually  sank.  Oh,  how  we  prayed  for  the  dear  child  !  She 
was  as  patient  as  an  angel.  The  doctor  said  she  was  the  sweet- 
est little  patient  he  ever  saw.  Emily  called  him  *'  My  little 
doctor."  Everything  was  done  that  medical  science  could  sug- 
gest. You  know  what  a  horribly  insidious  disease  it  is.  Her 
heart  was  involved  and  began  to  beat  irregularly.  I  was 
ordered  out  of  the  room,  but  I  hung  around  the  door  and 
would  rush  in  occasionally  and  wave  a  kiss  to  my  loved  child. 
She  would  smile  in  return.  On  Sunday,  the  26th,  we  called  a 
consultation  of  physicians,  but  all  that  Dr.  P ,  of  the  Lon- 
don Mission,  would  say  was,  ''That  is  a  very  bad  looking  throat." 
That  Sunday  night  I  spent  upon  the  floor  of  my  study  pray- 
ing God  to  have  mercy  on  us.  The  doctor  ordered  me  up, 
saying  I  would  take  cold,  but  I  could  not  sit  up,  and  did  not 
care  what  happened  to  me.  The  Chinese  prayed  for  us  in  great 
numbers,  holding  little  prayer-meetings  by  themselves  in  dif- 
ferent places  without  our  knowledge.     Mary  told  the  dear  child 


OUT  OF  THE  DEPTHS  119 

that  probably  she  would  not  recover.  She  looked  up  and  said, 
"  Do  you  think  I  am  going  to  die  ?  "  She  said  she  was  willing 
to  die — her  throat  had  ceased  to  pain  her  by  this  time — for 
then  she  would  see  little  brother  Philip,  long  since  in  heaven, 
and  Grandpa  Penfield.  But  she  was  not  quite  sure  that  it  would 
not  be  better  to  go  to  America  and  see  Grandma  Ament  and 
little  Cousin  Claribel.  She  ceased  to  talk,  closed  her  eyes, 
turned  on  her  side  and  at  9  :  30  a.  m.  Monday,  February  27th, 
went  to  the  God  who  had  loaned  her  to  us  for  eight  happy 
years. 

Our  cup  of  happiness  had  been  full  to  overflowing  in  our  two 
bright,  happy  children.  Especially  she  was  the  picture  of 
beauty  and  abounding  health  ;  all  little  ailments  were  shaken  off 
in  a  moment  and  she  seemed  impervious  to  the  malaria  of  the 
city.  But  the  pestilence  that  flieth  m  the  air  seized  the  dear 
throat  with  an  invincible  grip  and  even  her  strength  did  not 
avail.  She  was  buried  on  Tuesday  in  the  little  foreign  ceme- 
tery where  now  three  little  mounds  contain  all  the  earthly  re- 
mains of  our  three  children.  One  is  left,  little  Willie,  nearly 
six  years  old ;  not  as  vigorous  as  his  sister,  nor  as  much  given 
to  study.  But  he  is  a  rosy,  happy  little  fellow,  and  will  help  to 
lighten  our  lives  if  only  a  good  Father  will  spare  him  to  us. 
What  my  dear  mother  will  do  on  hearing  of  the  death  of  her 
little  namesake  I  do  not  know.  I  pray  God  she  may  have  the 
strength  to  pass  through  the  ordeal  and  still  grow  firmer  by  the 
trial.  Mother  still  lives  at  Ovvosso,  in  good  health  and  com- 
fort, trusting  God  and  waiting  for  the  kingdom.  She  has 
promised  to  live  till  I  return. 

Miss  Wyett  was  nearly  crushed  by  the  loss  of  dear  Emily, 
and  could  hardly  reconcile  herself  to  the  fact.  Gladly  would 
she  have  given  her  life  to  have  saved  that  of  the  beloved  child. 
Miss  Wyett  was  deeply  loved  by  the  children  and  had  a 
beautiful  influence  over  them.  Her  own  health  is  quite  frail, 
but  she  has  a  charming  spirit  of  patience  and  resignation  and  is 
fully  prepared  for  all  that  may  happen.  Dear  Mary  holds  out 
bravely  and  is  full  of  courage  and  good  deeds. 

Emily  had  hardly  gone  before  Miss  Russell,  our  colleague 
from  Chicago  and  a  friend  of  Mr,  Moody,  proposed  that  we 
should  establish  a  school  for  Chinese  children  in  memory  of 
dear  Emily  who  had  tried  to  help  these  dear  girls  in  her  child- 
like way.  Miss  Russell  backed  up  her  proposition  with  a  gift 
of  one  hundred  dollars.     We  propose  to  found  this  school  and 


120  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

to  perpetuate  it  if  it  be  a  possible  thing.  Already  we  had  be- 
gun to  negotiate  for  the  purchase  of  a  little  place.  I  have  sent 
you  two  copies  of  a  little  Chinese  magazine  1  edit,  containing  a 
short  account  of  Emily  written  by  a  Chinese  Bible  woman  in 
our  employ,  Ah  Nai  Nai.  Emily  was  accustomed  on  Sundays 
to  teach  Bible  verses  to  little  girls  who  came  to  the  chapel,  and 
this  woman's  little  girl,  about  Emily's  age,  volunteers  to  carry 
on  the  work  in  her  stead. 

From  the  '^Mission  Day  Spring,''  June,  iSgj,  ** A  Little 

Missionary  in  China.'' 
Mv  DEAR  Young  Friends: 

You  may  hke  to  listen  while  I  tell  you  something  of  my 
dear  little  niece  whom  I  have  known  so  well  and  who  has  now 
gone  to  the  better  land. 

Her  name  was  Emily  Hammond  Ament,  and  her  home  was 
in  the  great  city  of  Peking,  in  China.  The  first  two  months  of 
her  life  were  spent  in  an  old  temple  at  the  Western  Hills,  and 
before  she  was  a  year  old  she  went  with  her  papa  and  mama  to 
America  where  she  found  many  dear  relatives  and  friends  to 
love.  When  she  was  just  four  years  her  papa  was  able  to  re- 
turn to  his  much  loved  work  as  a  missionary  in  China.  Here 
everything  was  strange — the  people,  the  street  scenes  and  the 
language;  but  a  little  child  soon  feels  at  home  anywhere,  and 
it  was  not  long  before  Emily  was  gaily  chatting  with  her  kind 
old  nurse  who  took  care  of  her  little  brother.  She  found  many 
little  friends  near  her  own  age  among  the  children  of  the  mis- 
sionaries and  the  foreign  residents  at  Peking,  and  her  gay  sunny 
temperament,  her  abounding  life  and  vigor,  made  her  enter  into 
all  childish  sports  with  great  delight.  As  she  grew  older  she 
was  interested  in  history,  poetry  and  art.  Anything  that  was 
read  or  related  to  her  she  was  never  tired  of  hearing. 

But  our  Emily  was  a  very  human  child  and  her  strong  will 
and  determination  to  carry  out  any  plan  she  had  formed  made 
giving  up  a  difficult  task.  She  was  intense  in  her  likes  and  dis- 
likes, but  more  and  more  she  was  learning  self-control. 
Especially  during  the  last  six  months  of  her  life  it  had  become 
her  fixed  purpose  to  do  nothing  that  would  grieve  Jesus.  Her 
love  for  her  dear  ones  was  constantly  overflowing  in  loving 
words  and  caresses.  Those  who  have  been  guests  in  our  home 
will  long  remember  Emily's  warm  greeting,  for  nothing  gave 
her  more  joy  than  to  welcome  friends.     The  arrival  of  a  tired, 


OUT  OF  THE  DEPTHS  121 

travel-worn  missionary  family  was  to  her  the  most  delightful  of 
events,  and  if  she  was  permitted  to  do  anything  for  their  com- 
fort her  happiness  was  complete. 

One  other  event  filled  her  with  equal  joy,  and  that  was  the 
coming  of  the  home  mail.  She  was  one  of  the  first  to  know  of 
the  courier's  arrival,  and  soon  would  be  heard  the  merry  shout, 
"  Home  mail "  ;  and  she  would  dance  into  the  room  with  curls 
flying,  eyes  sparkling  and  her  sweet  mouth  wreathed  in  smiles. 
When  there  were  letters  for  her  she  was  still  more  delighted, 
and  not  only  did  she  love  to  receive  letters,  but  she  loved  also 
to  write  to  her  friends.  More  than  one  children's  missionary 
band  will  recall  the  letters  she  sent  them ;  and  after  her  death 
a  letter  was  found  that  she  had  finished  just  before  she  was 
taken  ill,  addressed  to  some  children  whom  she  hoped  would 
form  a  band. 

The  first  two  summers  after  Emily  returned  to  China  were 
spent  in  the  old  temple  at  the  hills  called  Chang  An  Ssu.  In 
the  pretty  hill  country  she  enjoyed  long  walks  and  donkey 
rides  and  an  occasional  excursion  to  a  neighboring  temple. 
Her  third  summer  was  spent  in  Kalgan,  the  most  northerly 
station  in  the  mission.  The  long  journeys  made  in  mule  litters 
furnished  many  and  strange  sights.  The  long  trains  of  pack- 
mules  carrying  tea  to  Russia,  and  mules  and  donkeys  laden 
with  rugs  and  skins  winding  over  the  steep  mountain  roads, 
and  the  Great  Wall  with  its  curious  gateways  and  towers,  the 
wild  scenery  of  the  mountain  pass,  a  day  at  the  Ming  Tombs, 
all  proved  of  interest  to  her,  as  to  us  all.  Her  last  summer 
was  spent  at  our  new  resting  place  at  the  hills  called  Ssu  Wang 
Ting,  a  breezy  hilltop.  There,  with  ample  room  within  the 
mission  grounds,  she  enjoyed  long  rambles  with  her  little 
brother,  while  breathing  the  fresh  air. 

But  wherever  she  was  Emily  never  lost  sight  of  the  fact  that 
her  parents  were  missionaries  and  that  on  all  sides  were  poor 
heathen  Chinese  who  needed  to  be  told  a  Saviour's  love.  Im- 
mediately on  her  arrival  in  China,  impressed  by  the  degrada- 
tion of  the  people  as  she  saw  them,  she  voluntarily  offered 
prayer  that  God  would  help  us  to  teach  them  and  to  do  them 
good.  Often  on  meeting  Chinese  women  for  the  first  time  she 
would  ask  them  if  they  loved  Jesus.  One  of  the  servants  who 
had  been  instructed  in  the  Christian  doctrine,  but  who  was 
not  a  church-member,  was  going  to  spend  the  Nevv  Year  with 
his  heathen  relatives.     Just  before  he  left  Emily  said  to  him 


122  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

very  impressively :  *^  Be  sure  you  do  not  set  up  a  new  kitchen 
god  when  you  go  home."  More  than  a  year  ago  she  began 
learning  texts  of  Scripture  in  Chinese  that  she  might  teach 
them  to  the  little  girls  who  went  with  their  mothers  to  the 
North  Chapel  where  her  papa  preached  and  her  mama  taught 
the  women.  It  was  touching  to  see  how  patiently  she,  who 
was  not  by  nature  a  patient  child,  would  repeat  verses  over  and 
over  till  her  small  pupils  had  learned  them,  and  very  seldom 
was  she  absent  from  her  post.  February  19th  was  the  last 
Sunday  she  met  her  class.  She  came  home  seemingly  tired 
and  complained  of  headache  :  but  it  was  not  till  Thursday  that 
the  doctor  pronounced  her  disease  diphtheria.  I  cannot  tell 
you  of  our  anguish  when  we  heard  this  dreadful  word,  or  how 
earnestly  we  prayed  that  her  precious  life  might  be  spared  to 
us.  She  had  always  been  so  well  and  strong,  it  seemed 
hardly  possible  that  she  could  die ;  but  in  spite  of  all  that 
tender  love  and  care  could  do,  on  Monday,  February  27th,  she 
passed  from  earth  to  heaven.  A  day  or  two  before,  her  mama 
told  her  that  she  was  very  ill  and  might  not  live.  She  seemed 
surprised,  and  said:  "Why,  do  you  think  I  am  going  to 
die?"  She  was  answered:  "Yes,  dear,  I  think  so;  would 
you  not  love  to  go  to  heaven  and  be  with  Jesus?"  Without 
hesitation  she  said,  "Yes."  She  had  been  taught  to  think  of 
heaven  as  a  beautiful  home  where  a  little  brother  and  other 
dear  ones  had  gone  and  it  only  seemed  a  choice  between  that 
home  and  this. 

We  had  not  realized  until  her  death  how  widely  she  had 
been  loved :  every  one  seemed  to  feel  a  personal  loss.  One 
friend  wrote,  "  I  have  never  known  the  death  of  a  child  to  be 
so  intensely  felt  by  an  entire  community."  The  American 
minister  in  Peking  wrote  a  touching  note  to  her  papa,  in  which 
he  said :  "  For  the  first  time  in  many  years  I  have  wept."  He 
ordered  the  legation  flag  to  be  placed  at  half  mast  in  token  of 
the  general  sorrow.  The  lovely  camellias,  jasmine,  heliotrope, 
geraniums,  narcissus,  white  lilacs,  lilies  and  Japanese  palms 
that  were  laid  upon  her  grave  would  all  have  given  her  great 
pleasure.  She  was  eight  years  and  a  half  old.  We  had 
thought  that  a  long  and  useful  life  was  before  her ;  but  God 
knew  best.  A  plan  has  been  formed  of  establishing  near  the 
North  Chapel,  in  Peking,  a  day-school  for  little  Chinese  girls 
to  be  named  for  Emily.  It  is  fondly  hoped  that  it  may  be  the 
means  of  saving  from  heathenism  many  who  may  be  trained  to 


OUT  OF  THE  DEPTHS  123 

become  useful  Christian  women.  Thus  her  memory  may  be 
perpetuated,  and  thus  she  may  speak  to  us  in  changed  hearts 
and  consecrated  lives. 

Miss  A.  M.  Wyett. 

Pekingy  March  ij,  i8gs- 

May,  i8gj. 
Report  of  the  Peking  Station,  i8q2  (written  by  Dr,  Blodget)  : 
Our  little  Emily,  whose  sweet  smiles  and  joyous  sports 
threw  a  light  on  every  face  in  the  compound  has  been  taken 
from  us.  Suddenly  she  sank  down  under  the  force  of  a  violent 
disease  (diphtheria)  and  notwithstanding  the  most  skillful  med- 
ical aid  and  most  constant  care  she  passed  away  on  the  27th  day 
of  February,  1893.  Already  her  budding  efforts  were  joined  to 
those  of  her  mother  for  the  women  and  children  of  China. 
"Oh,  Miss  Russell,"  she  exclaimed,  **ifwe  could  only  know 
what  to  say  to  make  them  believe." 

Sixty  li  to  the  east  of  Peking  a  new  chapel  has  been 
opened  in  the  city  of  Shun  I.  For  a  reasonable  sum  a  place, 
formerly  a  medicine  shop,  has  been  secured.  From  the  first. 
Sabbath  services  have  been  kept  up  by  volunteers  from  the 
North  Church,  their  expenses  being  from  the  general  contribu- 
tions. Eight  different  men  have  thus  given  their  services.  The 
average  attendance  at  services  has  been  over  twenty.  The 
opening  of  this  place  has  been  something  of  an  experiment, 
going  on  the  principle  if  a  place  does  not  open,  break  it  open. 
There  was  only  one  family  of  Christians  in  the  district  an(l 
none  in  the  city.  To  make  the  beginning  still  more  difficult, 
two  book-sellers  got  into  unnecessary  disturbance  on  the  street, 
and  one  of  them  boldly  went  to  the  yamen  for  redress,  behaving 
in  a  most  insolent  manner  to  the  mandarin.  Certain  enemies 
seized  this  occasion  of  confusion  to  write  and  post  up  anony- 
mous placards  denouncing  the  landlord  and  foreigners  together. 
The  landlord,  a  Manchu,  felt  the  insult  and  wished  to  retract 
his  lease,  unless  his  face  was  saved  by  official  interference. 
The  magistrate  on  being  interviewed,  proved  to  be  most  con- 
ciliatory and  at  his  own  suggestion  a  strong  proclamation  was 
issued  and  four  deputy  marshals  appointed  whose  duty  it  was 
to  arrest  all  writers  of  anonymous  placards  and  prevent  any 
trouble  at  the  chapel.  On  the  following  day  the  magistrate 
and  retinue  called  at  the  chapel  upon  the  foreign  pastor,  re- 
ceived as  a  present,  though  desiring  to  pay  for  it,  a  collection 
of  books,   which,  as  we  learned  afterwards,  he  read  with  great 


124  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

care.  Nothing  can  be  warmer  than  our  welcome  to  this  little 
city  where  we  trust  and  pray  the  Lord's  hidden  ones  may 
speedily  come  to  light, 

Mr.  Ament  has  had  the  editorial  charge  of  a  Chinese 
monthly  newspaper,  The  North  China  News,  which  is  printed 
at  the  mission  press.  A  very  considerable  portion  of  the  mat- 
ter is  prepared  by  himself.  The  circulation  now  numbers  five 
hundred  and  fifty,  and  is  mostly  among  Christians  and  those 
interested  in  Christianity.  The  monthly  visits  of  this  paper  are 
all  the  more  valuable  inasmuch  as  to  most  it  constitutes  the 
only  outlook  upon  the  Christian  world  in  what  is  constantly 
doing  and  suffering  therein. 

Peking,  May  25,  i8gj. 
To  Secretary  Smith  ; 

We  have  just  closed  one  of  the  most  profitable  and  har- 
monious annual  meetings  ever  held  by  our  mission.  The 
number  present  was  larger  than  in  previous  years  and  the  gen- 
eral spirit  was  one  of  great  good  cheer  and  hopefulness.  The 
reports  all  indicated  marked  progress  and  all  are  eagerly  look- 
ing forward  to  a  wide  and  distinct  enlargement  of  evangelistic 
work.  Tung-chow  College  (now  called  the  North  China  Col- 
lege) received  a  large  share  of  attention  as  it  deserves,  and  its 
new  location  and  hoped-for  buildings  filled  us  all  with  pride. 
Would  that  the  needed  funds  might  flow  in  for  this  great  en- 
terprise. 

The  little  memorial  school  flourishes.  Sir  Robert  Hart  sent 
us  $100  and  other  friends  gave  differing  sums  so  that  we  have 
a  good  nucleus  towards  purchasing  premises  for  the  school. 
Work  for  women  has  taken  a  great  impulse  therefrom  and  the 
numbers  of  women  more  than  fill  our  cramped  quarters  in  the 
old  chapel. 

Peking,  June  JO,  i8gj. 
To  THE  Same  : 

It  is  a  long  time  since  I  have  written  you  any  special 
particulars  of  our  work.  This  has  been  through  no  lack  of  de- 
sire on  my  part  but  because  of  a  constant  rush  of  work  which 
seems  to  accumulate  in  my  study.  What  with  being  treasurer 
of  the  station,  postmaster  for  Kalgan,  Tung-chow  and  Peking 
(including  the  Presbyterian  Mission),  in  charge  of  the  book 
room  for  the  mission,  also  of  the  Bible  bookstore  on  the  great 
street,  editor  of  our  magazine,  the  care  of  three  churches,  etc.. 


OUT  OF  THE  DEPTHS  125 

etc.,  you  may  imagine  that  the  secularities  which  enter  into  my 
work  are  almost  enough  for  the  strength  of  one  man,  not  to  say 
enough  to  drown  out  his  spiritual  life  and  degrade  him  to  a 
mere  managing  animal.  But  I  thank  God  that  strength  has 
been  granted  so  that  my  office  of  evangelist  has  not  been 
wholly  neglected  and  there  are  fruits  of  my  ministry  which  are 
more  precious  to  me  than  rubies.  It  grows  upon  me  that  the 
need  of  China  is  the  living,  warm-hearted  preacher  who  will 
meet  men  face  to  face  and  tell  them  the  gospel  story  rather 
than  the  litterateur  or  brilliant  scholar. 

Western  Hills,  China,  Aug.  2g,  i8gj. 
Mrs.  Ament  to  Mrs.  Darnley  : 

I  was  much  interested  in  all  the  news  you  wrote  and  could 
almost  fancy  myself  in  Medina  again.  Thursday  being  Emily's 
birthday  we  went  to  the  cemetery,  Mr.  Ament,  Willie  and  I, 
with  a  friend,  and  covered  the  grave  with  sprays  of  ivy  like 
that  which  grows  on  the  Medina  church.  We  had  brought 
wild  flowers,  also,  from  the  hillside,  bluebells  and  a  kind  of 
purple  spike  that  grows  freely  there.  These  we  strewed  all 
about.  Miss  Russell  met  us,  bringing  from  our  home  in  the 
city  verbenas  and  other  flowers.  We  read  the  beautiful  words 
of  Whittier  in  the  *'  Manual  of  Praise,"  the  Resurrection  chapter 
from  Corinthians,  and  were  comforted  by  the  thought  of  Christ's 
resurrection  and  His  promises  of  union  through  all  eternity. 
The  sky  had  begun  to  cloud  over,  so  we  gave  up  returning  to 
the+iills  the  same  day.  The  cemetery  is  an  hour  and  a  half  from 
our  compound  and  four  to  six  hours  from  the  hills  according 
to  the  speed  of  the  bearers.  We  found  our  court  covered  with 
green  things,  the  vines  and  shrubs  all  having  grown  so  rank 
since  the  rains. 

The  next  morning  we  got  into  our  cart  and  rode  to  the  Fifth 
Street  School.  Here  are  gathered  some  of  the  children  whom 
Emily  was  interested  in  and  who  with  others  living  near  us  are 
the  nucleus  of  the  memorial  school  we  hope  to  have.  The 
little  court  we  rented  and  fitted  up  with  needful  furniture  and 
paper,  has  suffered  much  through  the  last  seven  days'  rain,  and 
the  floor  is  still  damp.  The  school  meets  in  a  large  wooden 
shelter  that  is  raised  up  by  bricks  to  escape  the  dampness  of 
the  kang.  We  would  buy  a  place  that  has  better  advantages, 
since  we  cannot  afford  repairs  on  such  a  place  and  the  land- 
lord is  likely  to  do  but  little. 


Oh,  the  wild  joys  of  living 

How  good  is  man's  life,  the  mere  living, — how  fit  to  employ 

All  the  heart  and  the  soul  and  the  senses  forever  in  joy, 

— Browning. 

IX 

THE  EXPANSION  OF  SERVICE 

THE  summer  of  1894  found  many  of  the  Peking 
missionaries  in  their  summer  retreat  in  the 
Western  Hills.  Three  of  the  missions  had  se- 
cured permanent  places,  as  they  thought,  and  had  erected 
hill  houses,  some  miles  from  the  Buddhist  temples  hith- 
erto rented. 

Our  mission  found  such  a  resting  spot  on  a  high  hill 
crest,  overlooking  the  Hun  Eiver  towards  the  south,  and 
wiih  a  fine  mountain  view  northward  up  the  valley  of  the 
stream.  From  the  healthful  vantage-ground  of  this  re- 
treat Mr.  Ament  writes  to  Miss  Schirmer. 

Western  Hills j  Aug.  4,  i8g4. 

Startling  news  comes  to-day.  War  has  actually  been  de- 
clared between  China  and  Japan  and  hostilities  have  begun. 
It  may  be  best  for  them  to  fight  out  their  grudges.  If  there 
were  not  a  Providence  overruling  the  foolishness  of  men  this 
world  would  certainly  seem  a  bedlam. 

I  wish  you  could  look  out  with  me  on  the  lights  and  shadows 
playing  on  our  beautiful  hills.  The  different  shades  of  green 
on  the  fields  of  the  plain  below,  the  hamlets  with  their  clumps 
of  trees,  the  threshing  floors,  all  make  a  picture  worth  going  far 
to  see.  We  have  a  beautiful  view  from  our  hill  crest,  pure  air, 
good  water  and  fine  mountain  scenery.  Our  little  peak  has 
five  cottages.  The  Hun  River  runs  along  the  base  of  our  hill. 
In  the  distance  we  can  see  the  Lu  Kou  bridge,  very  famous  in 
Chinese  history,  and  just  beyond  the  Liang  Hsiang  pagoda  cel- 
ebrated in  history  and  song.  Across  the  valley  from  us  are 
Buddhist  temples;.  fuU^  of  priests.  To  the  east  the  road  to  Pe- 
king lies  like  a  silver  ribbon,  and  the  yellow  palaces  of  the  Em- 
peror loom  up  in  the  dim  distance. 

You  ask  about  my  long  continuance  in  China.  Dr.  Blodget, 
my  colleague,  is  about  retiring  after  forty  years  of  faithful  serv- 

126 


THE  EXPANSION  OF  SERVICE  127 

ice.  I  am  greatly  needed  to  keep  our  growing  work  in  order, 
to  train  helpers  and  lead  in  the  work.  For  the  sake  of  my 
dear  old  mother  I  should  love  to  return.  She  is  brave  and 
says,  "  Stay  out  your  time." 

To  the  secretaries  he  writes : 

Augusf  7,  i8g4. 
AVar  is  raging.  We  are  promised  protection  by  the  city 
government.  Rumors  of  the  advance  of  the  Japanese  on 
Peking  create  ferment  in  all  minds.  The  British  minister  has 
ordered  all  English  women  and  children  to  leave  the  city.  I 
am  glad  to  say  that  not  one  of  our  board  missionaries  counsels 
a  retreat.  We  all  hope  to  remain  unless  it  becomes  manifestly 
rash  to  do  so. 

In  October  he  writes  to  his  mother : 

We  are  having  troublous  times,  but  we  are  so  far  safe  and 
have  little  fear.  Mary  and  Miss  Russell  are  cool  and  fearless 
and  say,  ''  Stay  by  all  means."  From  the  bottom  of  my  heart 
I  anticipate  no  trouble  for  us.  There  is  rumor  that  peace  may 
soon  be  brought  about.  The  Japanese  want  a  little  glory  at 
the  expense  of  the  lazy  old  empire.  Our  Chinese  are  a  little 
fearful  for  us,  but  now  is  the  time  for  us  to  illustrate  the  virtues 
we  continually  preach  to  them.     Do  not  be  anxious  about  us. 

December  4th. — The  boy  whom  we  have  supported  as  a 
student  for  so  many  years,  Wen  Hsien,  died  ten  days  since,  of 
tuberculosis.  He  would  have  graduated  from  the  theological 
seminary  next  spring.  God  takes  away  our  helpers,  perhaps 
that  we  may  rely  more  on  Him. 

The  autumn  of  the  year  had  brought  great  changes  to 
the  station.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Blodget,  after  eleven  years  of 
service,  returned  to  the  United  States.  Dr.  Blodget  had 
completed  forty  years  in  China,  thirty  of  which  had  been 
spent  at  Peking.  He  had  left  a  great  record  of  work  ac- 
complished. In  leaving  he  felt  assured  that  the  precious 
charge  would  be  in  capable  and  efficient  hands.  Mr. 
Ament  had  been  associated  with  him  for  fourteen  years. 


128  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

A  new  band  of  recruits  were  joining  the  station.  Mr. 
John  Mateer  was  to  superintend  the  press.  Mr.  Charles 
Ewing  and  wife  with  Miss  Hinman  were  assigned  to  the 
station. 

Thus  supported,  Mr.  Ament  took  full  charge  of  the 
preaching  of  the  station,  Sunday  preaching  at  the  South 
Church,  and  care  of  the  boys'  school.  He  was  to  mag- 
nify his  office  in  effective  service. 

Peki7igy   ChinUf  Dec.  ly,  i8g4. 
Dear  Dr.  Smith  : 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Blodget's  return  to  the  United  States 
throws  a  great  burden  of  work  on  my  shoulders.  The  two 
regular  preaching  services  have  to  be  provided  for,  daily 
preaching  kept  up,  country  stations  looked  after  and  helpers 
instructed  and  directed,  besides  all  the  temporalities  of  a  station 
hke  Peking.  I  thought  I  had  been  busy  before  in  my  life,  but 
nothing  has  equalled  the  rush  of  the  past  two  months.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Mateer  are  comfortably  settled.  The  press  has 
started  on  a  new  career  since  their  arrival,  and  turns  off  work 
in  a  way  that  bewilders  the  Chinamen.  Already  eight  new 
men  have  been  added  to  the  force  in  the  office,  and  orders  are 
in  hand  enough  to  keep  them  busy  for  months  to  come. 

We  have  been  greatly  entertained  by  the  announcements  in 
the  home  papers  of  the  massacre  in  Peking,  also  that  all  for- 
eigners had  been  ordered  out  of  the  city.  The  British  minister, 
from  his  safe  retreat  at  Chefoo,  ordered  all  English  ladies  to 
leave  the  city,  and  they  obeyed  his  mandate  with  much  reluc- 
tance, as  they  were  liable  to  arrest  if  they  refused.  But  the 
American  minister  has  no  such  authority,  and  would  not  have 
used  it  if  he  had,  as  he  said  the  missionaries  were  better  in- 
formed about  the  people  than  he  was,  and,  being  people  of 
sense,  could  leave  the  city  or  not  as  they  chose.  We  have 
been  very  quiet,  almost  monotonously  so,  except  when  the  pa- 
pers arrived  and  told  us  what  dangers  we  were  in. 

Our  work  has  gone  as  usual.  The  city  authorities  have  been 
exceedingly  anxious  to  see  that  we  were  not  disturbed  in  our 
work  and  have  posted  up  two  or  three  strong  proclamations 
which  have  allayed  the  minds  of  the  people.  Even  the  Em- 
peror has  seen  fit  to  notice  the  missionaries  and  has  issued  two 
rescripts,  enjoining  the  officials  throughout  the  empire  to  give 


THE  EXPANSION  OF  SERVICE  129 

complete  protection  to  all  the  missionaries.  During  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  Empress's  birthday  there  were  many  officials  and 
their  retainers  in  the  city  from  distant  provinces  and  for  fear  of 
trouble  the  mayor  placed  thirty  soldiers  to  guard  our  chapel 
and  premises.  The  sergeant  in  charge  of  these  became  inter- 
ested in  the  truth  and  now  signifies  his  purpose  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian. He  is  a  man  of  fine  physique  and  presence,  untainted 
with  opium,  and  as  good  a  specimen  of  the  Manchu  banner- 
man  as  you  could  find  in  the  city. 

Only  yesterday  there  came  another  order  from  the  Emperor, 
directing  the  mayor  to  see  that  men  of  higher  rank  than  the 
ordinary  bannermen  should  be  set  to  guard  our  premises.  No 
pains  are  spared,  or  have  been  spared,  to  grant  us  perfect  protec- 
tion. They  realize  that  they  have  their  hands  more  than  full 
with  the  Japanese  and  they  do  not  wish  to  irritate  any  other 
foreigners.  The  people  are  so  overawed  by  these  multiplied 
indications  of  care  for  us  on  the  part  of  the  authorities  that 
they  hardly  lift  their  eyes  to  a  foreigner  as  he  goes  along  the 
street  for  fear  they  will  be  immediately  decapitated.  Person- 
ally, I  should  prefer  that  we  were  left  to  ourselves  as  I  have 
full  confidence  that  the  people  have  meditated  no  ill  to  us  but, 
on  the  contrary,  our  presence  here  has  done  much  to  quiet 
them  and  help  them  trust  that  things  were  not  as  bad  as  repre- 
sented. The  work  of  past  years  has  not  been  in  vain.  We 
have  many  warm  friends  among  the  people,  who  from  the  first 
have  assured  us  of  our  safety  as  they  themselves  were  our 
body-guards. 

March  14,  iSgS- 
My  dear  Mother  : 

I  am  too  busy  and  too  happy  to  write  much.  Revival 
meetings  are  in  progress  with  splendid  success.  The  Lord  is 
helping  me  wonderfully  to  preach  to  the  people.  Gamblers 
and  harlots  are  coming  in  and  our  chapel  is  full.  We  have  no 
outside  help  and  the  work  is  going  on  grandly.  Snow  is  on 
the  ground  and  the  weather  is  against  us  but  the  meetings  will 
be  kept  up.  The  Lord  is  trying  our  faith  and  staying  powers. 
We  hope  to  hold  on  and  out.  I  feel  strong  and  hopeful  for 
the  battle  as  the  Lord  is  with  us.  All  is  peaceful  here.  It  looks 
as  though  the  war  had  spent  its  course.  However,  we  are  pre- 
pared for  all  that  comes.  The  Kalgan  people  have  come  down 
to  us,  frightened  out  by  the  rumors. 
God  bless  and  keep  you. 


130  AYILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

The  following  letter  to  Madam  Ament  from  Miss 
Wyett  illustrates  her  fine  personality  as  well  as  gives 
her  view  of  the  situation  in  Peking. 

Peking^  March  24^  i8g5. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Ament: 

I  fear  that  my  letter  will  be  a  little  too  late  for  your 
birthday,  but  perhaps  it  may  not  be  long  after  the  3d  of  May. 
Let  me  wish  you  many  happy  returns  of  this  seventy-seventh 
birthday.  You  are  so  well  and  active  that  you  make  me  think 
of  my  father,  who,  when  he  was  your  age,  used  to  delight  in 
working  in  his  garden,  and  on  Sunday  morning  when  he  had  not 
that  exercise  would  walk  four  miles  before  breakfast  just  for 
the  pleasure  of  it.  He  lived  five  months  past  his  eighty-sixth 
birthday,  and  never  had  any  organic  disease.  He  was  such  a 
dear  loving  father  that  it  seemed  very  hard  to  live  without 
him,  but  he  longed  for  his  heavenly  home,  although  he  was 
always  so  cheerful  and  happy  here. 

I  wish  you  could  know  how  quiet  and  comfortable  we  keep 
here.  It  has  not  yet  seemed  duty  to  leave  Peking,  and  you 
know  that  Dr.  Blodget's  return  to  America  threw  all  the 
evangelistic  work  on  William.  It  has  been  a  great  help  and 
comfort  to  the  Christians  to  have  the  missionaries  stay  quietly 
by  at  their  posts  and  will  do  much  to  strengthen  their  faith. 
When  one  is  on  the  field  it  is  possible  to  feel  a  much  deeper 
interest  in  the  work  which  leads  to  more  earnest  prayer  for  its 
success. 

Mr.  Pethick,  who  acts  as  interpreter  to  Li  Hung  Chang, 
and  who  went  with  him  on  his  recent  peace  mission  to  Japan, 
just  before  leaving  called  on  Mr.  Stanley,  of  our  mission  at 
Tientsin.  He  said  that  although  he  was  not  a  praying  man 
himself,  he  believed  in  prayer  and  wished  to  ask  that  the 
missionaries  would  unite  in  prayer  for  the  success  of  their 
expedition  and  for  peace.  Mr.  Stanley  sent  word  to  us  and  to 
Tung-chow,  and  a  day  was  accordingly  set  apart.  But  the 
general  feeling  among  us  seems  to  be  that  we  cannot  pray 
unconditionally  for  peace,  but  rather  that  the  greatest  possible 
good  to  the  country  may  come  out  of  the  war,  and  that  all 
things  may  be  overruled  for  the  welfare  of  the  nation.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  the  utter  corruption  of  the  officials  in  China 
has  reached  such  a  pass  that  the  government  may  be  con- 
iBidered  as  rotten.     It  may  be  that  the  time  has  come  in  the 


THE  EXPANSION  OF  SERVICE         131 

wisdom  of  God  for  its  overthrow.  It  is  most  interesting  to 
read  of  the  readiness  of  the  Japanese  soldiers  to  receive  the 
Bible  and  the  Christian  books,  and  not  only  that  the  officers 
place  no  hindrance  in  the  way,  but  rather  help  on  the  work  of 
distribution. 

Several  of  the  legations  here  have  marines  from  the  gun- 
boats in  the  Tientsin  harbor  in  their  compounds.  The 
American  marines  have  not  been  sent  up  as  yet.  Colonel 
Denby  does  not  care  to  have  them  unless  there  are  indications 
of  their  being  soon  needed. 

I  am  always  so  interested  in  all  that  Mary  can  tell  me  about 
the  little  memorial  school.  She  goes  there  once  a  week  and  is 
now  giving  them  lessons  in  geography,  quite  a  new  and 
interesting  study  for  them.  Mary  is  full  of  expedients  and 
illustrates  the  lessons  in  a  way  to  make  them  understood. 
Willie  has  been  very  well  all  winter  and  is  a  great  comfort  to 
us  all.  He  is  a  bright,  intelligent  boy,  and  it  is  a  great 
pleasure  to  read  to  him.  I  have  been  quite  an  invalid  all 
winter,  and  it  has  been  a  sore  trial  to  be  so  useless.  I  often 
think,  when  we  can  do  nothing  else,  what  a  mercy  it  is  that 
we  can  lift  our  hearts  to  God  in  prayer,  and  who  knows  but 
that  He  prevents  us  from  doing  other  things  that  we  may  do 
that  more  earnestly. 

Believe  me,  ever  affectionately  yours, 

Anna  M.  Wyett. 

Peking,  March  23,  i8gs. 
My  dear  Mother: 

This  letter  will  reach  you  about  the  time  of  your  birth- 
day. What  a  grand  old  age  the  Lord  is  permitting  you  to 
reach  !  May  you  be  spared  these  many  years  to  comfort  and 
bless  us. 

Last  evening  we  closed  our  series  of  meetings  and  a  grand 
time  we  have  had.  I  did  not  believe  I  ever  should  see  such 
meetings  in  China,  much  less  that  I  should  be  permitted  to 
lead  them.  Over  forty  people  have  started  in  the  Christian 
way  and  the  whole  church  has  been  quickened  with  a  new  life. 
Among  our  new  people  are  some  very  interesting  cases, 
especially  one  old  man,  sixty-four,  and  his  little  son,  only 
fourteen.  The  boy  is  one  of  our  day  scholars  and  has  brought 
in  his  old  father,  not  resting  till  he  was  gained.  The  mother 
tries  to  hinder  but  they  both  stand  firm.     The  keeper  of  an 


132  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

opium  den  next  door  to  our  chapel  has  resolved  to  close  out 
his  business  as  soon  as  his  lease  expires.  Our  police  magis- 
trate is  a  friend  and  wants  to  leave  off  opium.  It  is  glorious 
to  see  things  move  in  this  way.  On  Easter  Day  our  new 
converts  are  to  be  baptized  and  a  great  day  we  will  have  of  it. 
Peace  is  still  doubtful.  The  demands  of  the  Japanese  are 
fearful  and  extravagant,  six  hundred  millions  of  dollars  and 
Formosa,  Manchuria  and  Korea  to  be  independent. 

Peking,  May  iif  i8g^. 
To  Dr.  Smith  : 

Our  great  need  now  is  a  body  of  trained  native  Chris- 
tians who  are  alive  to  the  situation.  We  need  a  large  constit- 
uency to  give  influence  by  mere  force  of  numbers  as  well  as 
moral  force  by  their  superior  character.  Evangelistic  work 
must  be  pressed  as  never  before.  We  need  men  who  count  it 
a  privilege  to  sit  down  beside  a  coolie  and  teach  him  the 
catechism  and  who  does  not  count  it  a  drudgery  to  iterate  and 
reiterate  the  elements  of  Christian  truth  in  daily  street-chapel 
work.  There  is  nothing  very  romantic  in  all  this  to  some,  but 
it  is  a  precious  work  to  those  who  love  these  poor  benighted 
ones  as  Christ  loved  them.  The  "  National  Church "  will 
come  here  in  time.  Already  in  Peking  the  native  Christians 
have  started  a  fund  which  they  hope,  and  so  do  I,  will  grow 
till  they  can  build  their  own  church  and  call  their  own  pastor. 
This  is  going  on  quietly  in  no  spirit  of  antagonism  to  the 
missionaries  and  there  is  the  greatest  harmony  among  the  Chi- 
nese who  belong  to  the  various  missions. 

In  March  our  Christians  wanted  a  series  of  meetings  such 
as  we  had  last  year.  I  hardly  felt  equal  to  such  an  undertaking 
but  the  people  were  not  to  be  put  off.  Trusting  the  promises 
of  God,  we  launched  out  into  day  and  evening  meetings. 
The  weather  was  most  unpropitious.  The  roads  were  bad  and 
nights  dark.  Rev.  Gilbert  Reid  rendered  kind  and  efficient 
aid  by  occasional  preaching  and  regular  attendance.  The 
Lord  gave  me  great  liberty  in  preaching,  and  I  never  enjoyed 
such  meetings  more.  The  chapel  was  crowded  daily  in  spite 
of  the  weather  and  converts  were  added  every  evening. 
Prayers  were  numerous  and  fervent,  as  many  as  ten  or  fifteen 
often  praying  at  once.  The  testimonies  were  often  very  touch- 
ing. One  boy  of  fourteen  years  brought  in  his  old  father  sixty- 
four  years  old  and  together  they  prayed  for  the  conversion  of 


THE  EXPANSION  OF  SERVICE         133 

the  wife  and  mother.  Our  neighbors  came  out  in  good 
numbers  and  people  who  had  lived  next  door  to  us  for  years 
but  whose  faces  we  seldom  saw  now  became  friendly  and 
regular  attendants  on  our  services.  As  an  outcome  of  the 
meetings  we  have  now  a  regular  prayer-meeting  on  Thursday 
evenings  in  the  chapel,  principally  to  accommodate  those  who 
cannot  attend  our  regular  church  meeting  on  Wednesday 
afternoons.  This  is  by  far  our  largest  meeting  during  the 
week  and  is  attended  by  people  from  both  churches.  On 
Easter  Sabbath  eighteen  persons  were  received  into  the  church 
and  five  infants  were  baptized. 

August  21^  i8gS' 
To  THE  Same  : 

Cholera  has  been  raging  for  the  past  month  in  the  city. 
Though  this  pest  is  an  annual  visitor  yet  this  year  it  is  more 
violent  than  formerly.  Thousands  have  died — many  by  the 
roadside,  and  the  gateways  have  at  times  been  almost  blocked 
up  by  the  numerous  funerals  trying  to  get  out.  The  Chinese 
are  helpless  at  such  times,  but  their  recourse  to  their  idols  has 
been  less  ardent  this  year  than  formerly.  The  coffin  shops  are 
entirely  sold  out,  and  the  dead  are  merely  wrapped  in  matting 
and  carried  out. 

January  8,  1896. — The  men's  Endeavor  Society  furnishes  two 
preachers  each  Sunday  to  go  out  with  Dr.  Murdock  to  a  village 
about  five  miles  from  the  city  gate.  The  men  are  voluntary 
preachers  and  put  in  a  day  of  hard  work  with  willing  minds 
and  hearts.  The  crowd  at  the  fair  numbers  from  one  hundred 
to  three  hundred  people  and  the  preaching  continues  for  about 
three  hours.  Out-stations  are  opening  up  near  Peking  and  the 
work  growing  beyond  the  power  of  one  or  two  men  to  manage. 
But  I  thank  God  that  the  natives  are  taking  the  matter  in  hand 
and  are  forging  ahead  in  the  matter  of  sowing  the  seed  broad- 
cast. In  our  street  chapel  during  the  last  four  months  the 
whole  work  nearly  has  been  carried  on  by  voluntary  preachers, 
Manchu  bannermen  who  have  leisure  and  are  willing  to  use  it 
for  the  Lord.  You  have  read  rumors  of  the  reform  movement 
in  Peking  originating  among  the  Hanlin  scholars. 

Peking,  Feb.  26,  i8g6. 
My  dear  Mother  : 

In  the  midst  of  our  second  great  dust  storm,  the  air  full 
of  dust   as   well   as   our   eyes,  ears,  noses  and  houses,  I  am 


134  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

writing  a  lecture  on  ''  Undeveloped  Forms  of  Mission  Work," 
such  as  federation,  unpaid  native  agency,  orphanages.  Mr. 
and  Miss  Bostwick  will  soon  return  to  Medina.  We  are 
wonderfully  well  this  winter  and  our  work  going  on  apace.  I 
hope  to  start  revival  meetings  next  week.  Mr.  Hayner,  of  the 
Methodist  Mission,  is  to  help. 

Your  affectionate  son, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

Peking,  April  6,  i8g6. 
To  Secretary  Smith  : 

The  opportunities  for  work  in  North  China  are  prac- 
tically unlimited.  The  people  are  much  more  friendly  than 
before  the  war.  The  officials  are  ready  to  listen  to  our  re- 
quest for  proclamations  or  give  direct  protection  from  the 
roughs  of  the  community.  The  government  has  reached  the 
conclusion  that  it  is  better  to  observe  treaties  and  respect  their 
foreign  guests  than  to  antagonize  and  restrict.  At  least  this 
seems  the  attitude  in  the  north.  Do  not  interpret  this  to 
mean  that  the  empire  has  set  out  on  a  career  of  reform  and 
that  any  changes  are  to  be  made  for  the  better.  It  is  with  the 
officials  simply  a  matter  of  selfish  policy. 

Reform  is  not  in  the  air  though  a  few  friends  of  the  Chinese 
would  seem  to  convey  that  impression  in  their  writings.  The 
government  has  not  taken  one  step  in  advance  since  the  war 
and  is  more  hopelessly  bound  to  the  old  regime  than  ever  in 
view  of  her  financial  bondage  to  Russia.  Nothing  more  shows 
the  blindness  of  those  in  authority  than  the  way  they  have 
thrown  themselves  into  the  hands  of  Russia  and  France. 
Diplomatically  these  two  powers  have  carried  the  day  in  the 
East.  The  Chinese  see  the  situation  and  say  there  is  no  hope. 
The  so-called  reform  club  is  now  safely  domiciled  under  the 
roof  of  the  Tsung  Li  Yamen  and  will  be  a  victim  of  the  cus- 
toms which  prevail  in  other  departments  of  Chinese  official 
life.  Which  means  that  its  usefulness  will  be  reduced  to  noth- 
ing, only  so  far  as  somebody  can  make  money  out  of  it. 

Peking,  June  13,  i8g6. 
To  THE  Same  : 

The  most  successful  annual  meeting  I  ever  attended 
closed  on  June  2d.  A  beautiful  spirit  of  brotherly  love  was 
prevalent  and  business  moved  on  smoothly  and  successfully. 


THE  EXPANSION  OF  SERVICE         135 

As  you  will  observe,  the  mission  voted  our  return  to  the 
United  States  next  year,  subject  to  home  approval.  I  sin- 
cerely regret  the  necessity  of  return  at  this  juncture,  but  the 
reasons  are  numerous  and  convincing.  No  other  ordained 
missionary  is  asking  permission  to  return  in  1897  and  should 
we  delay  confusion  would  result  in  several  desiring  to  go  at 
once.  Furthermore  my  beloved  mother,  seventy-eight  years 
old,  is  waiting  patiently  to  see  her  only  son,  and  my  nephew 
and  niece  have  been  left  motherless  and  need  intelligent  and 
sympathetic  care.  Then,  too,  my  head  and  heart  are  weary 
with  the  strife  with  heathenism  and  I  need  to  be  toned  up  by 
contact  with  Christian  civilization. 

We  have  now  in  this  station  over  600  church-members, 
scattered  over  an  area  1 20  miles  in  diameter,  with  six  organ- 
ized congregations  and  many  other  places  where  we  preach. 
Four  of  our  best  men  died  last  year  and  their  places  cannot  be 
filled  as  yet.  I  am  pushing  self-support  to  the  best  of  my 
ability  and  I  think  our  people  almost  dread  the  sight  of  me  lest 
I  throw  some  new  burden  on  them. 

Peking,  Sept.  i^,  i8g6. 
My  dear  Mother  : 

We  are  in  the  midst  of  our  "  Convention  for  Christian 
Workers."  Mr.  Mott,  Bishop  Joyce  and  other  workers  are 
here,  and  we  are  having  a  grand  time.  Yesterday  I  spoke  on 
"  Deepening  the  Spiritual  Life  of  the  Native  Christians."  We 
must  be  more  in  earnest,  or  the  Church  will  not  prosper  in 
China.  To-day  we  hear  from  Rev.  Mr.  Jones,  a  very  well- 
known  missionary  of  the  Enghsh  Baptists  (in  Shantung).  He 
has  on  Chinese  clothes,  and  is  a  noble  specimen  of  a  Christian 
man.  He  has  had  great  success  in  urging  the  Chinese  to 
establish  self-supporting  churches  and  has  splendid  success. 
Because  the  work  of  missions  may  be  at  a  low  ebb  in  Owosso, 
do  not  imagine  it  is  so  in  all  the  churches.  Mr.  Mott  has  just 
been  visiting  colleges  and  universities  in  eighteen  lands,  and 
brings  glowing  accounts  of  the  uprising  of  strong  Christian 
young  men  in  all  lands.  Over  600  are  already  in  mission 
fields.  He  is  a  man  of  great  spiritual  power  and  lives  near  to 
God  and  feeds  on  the  Bible.  His  principal  topics  are  Secret 
Prayer  and  Bible  Study,  all  of  them  helpful  and  stimulating. 
It  is  a  great  encouragement  to  have  such  people  come  this  way 
and  we  hope  the  whole  church  will  be  quickened  thereby. 


136  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

The  next  mail  will  doubtless  bring  us  our  permission  to  return 
to  the  United  States.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Goodrich  are  in  Tientsin 
and  will  soon  be  at  home.  With  them  are  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Kingman.     No  new  recruits  this  year. 


A  missionary  occupied  with  varied  cares  often  strug- 
gles with  himself  to  find  a  place  for  pastime  and  byplay 
in  effort ;  he  is  happy  if  he  may  follow  the  advice  of 
Gilder,  our  American  poet:  ''Do  not  neglect  to  rub 
shoulders  with  the  immortals,  with  the  pure  idealists, 
with  the  inspired  prophets,  the  glorious  artists  and  the 
most  noble  poets.'' 

A  word  regarding  some  of  these  pastimes  should  find  a 
place.  Mr.  Ament  was  fond  of  making  collections  of 
Chinese  coins.  His  interest  in  historical  study  led  him 
to  this,  for  the  Chinese  coins  open  at  once  the  study  of 
Chinese  history.  The  old  junk  shops  within  easy  reach 
of  his  home  had  many  a  treasure,  among  which  were 
coins  old  and  new.  The  shop  men  began  to  search  for 
him.  Dr.  Williams  tells  us  how  these  coins  were  made. 
In  some  dynasties  better  cash  were  issued,  which  now  are 
those  more  easily  found.  Cash  reaching  beyond  the  Han 
dynasty,  second  century  before  Christ,  form  the  limit  of 
size  and  value.  Mr.  Ament  aimed  to  make  his  collec- 
tions as  complete  as  possible.  His  scribe  made  for  him, 
from  ancient  recondite  Chinese  books,  forms  of  all  the 
cash  that  have  been  known. 

During  the  last  twenty  years  Mr.  Ament  gathered  two 
or  three  quite  complete  collections.  One  of  these  was 
destroyed  in  1900.  Such  collections  are  often  of  great 
value.  A  collection  recently  sold  at  Shanghai  for  fifteen 
hundred  dollars. 

The  literary  work  of  the  missionary  may  always  be 
considered  a  byplay.  Daily  preaching  in  a  street  chapel, 
frequent  consultation  with  native    helpers,  a  constant 


THE  EXPANSION  OF  SERVICE         137 

stream  of  visitors,  indicate  the  order  of  the  day.  A 
morning  devoted  to  special  literary  work  is  rare. 

Mr.  Ament  became  the  editor  of  the  Church  News, 
which  he  carried  with  fine  ability  and  careful  work.  The 
North  China  Tract  Society,  of  which  Mr.  Ament  was  at 
one  time  president,  and  always  a  director,  gave  him  op- 
portunity for  special  service.  That  a  Christian  commu- 
nity should  be  widely  intelligent  is  the  first  requisite  for 
the  Protestant  Church,  especially  in  China  where  reading 
and  scholarship  are  in  such  high  esteem.  The  Chinese 
people  have,  in  general,  far  too  great  a  repute  for  liter- 
ary ability.  It  is  pitiful  enough  for  those  who  know  the 
facts  in  the  case  to  realize  that  so  few  are  able  to  read  in 
any  such  sense  as  we  of  the  West  call  reading.  Despite 
the  fact  that  so  many  thousands  attend  their  village 
schools,  only  a  small  proportion  of  those  who  have  at- 
tended school  for  five  or  more  years  are  able  to  read  any- 
thing beyond  what  they  have  studied  in  school.  As  soon 
as  the  school  life  is  over  and  the  hard  work  of  labor  or 
business  comes  upon  them,  the  former  students  soon  lose 
much  that  they  have  gained  in  school  and  the  loss  in- 
creases unless  great  care  is  taken.  For  men  will  forget 
and  the  dictionary  is  not  close  at  hand,  as  with  us,  and 
the  characters  are  only  found  after  painful  search,  or  by 
calling  upon  some  one  who  is  the  recognized  authority  in 
the  village.  When  the  daily  newspapers  were  first  in- 
troduced many  of  the  former  schoolboys  or  men  took  the 
papers  for  the  novelty  of  it.  They  found  that  they  had 
forgotten  so  many  characters  that  it  was  useless  for  them 
to  attempt  to  read  intelligently.  The  aim  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church  in  China  is  to  have  every  man,  woman  and 
child  instructed  ;  that  as  many  as  possible  learn  to  read  a 
little  and  to  have  a  suitable  literature  adapted  to  the  needs 
of  each. 

A  very  marked  degree  of  success  has  been  attained. 


138  AVILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Many  an  old  woman  has  painfully  learned  to  read  even  a 
whole  New  Testament,  while  the  younger  ones  have  ap- 
plied their  active  minds  with  astonishing  zeal  to  the  task. 
And  many  a  man  who  had  forgotten  to  read  began  again 
to  recall  his  former  repertoire  of  words. 

The  Chinese  church  paper  thus  supplied  a  veritable 
need  and  was  a  source  of  great  delight  to  an  expanding 
circle.  It  was  a  privilege  to  meet  this  demand,  and  Dr. 
Ament  found  sufficient  scope  for  all  the  extra  time  he 
could  devote  to  such  efforts.  Like  all  such  passing  and 
ephemeral  work  the  results  are  seemingly  invisible. 
They  are  recorded  in  the  lives  and  thoughts  of  men. 
They  are  food  for  the  soul  and  enter  into  the  permanent 
structure  of  the  soul  life, — into  the  religious  and  moral 
sustenance  of  men, — as  food  and  drink  pass  into  the  body, 
and  supply  the  constant  loss  and  waste  in  the  physical 
system.  It  is  a  good  and  often  a  great  work  to  furnish 
the  food  for  the  famishing  or  vacant  souls  of  a  few  thou- 
sand Christian  members.  Perhaps  a  definite  part  of  the 
result  of  such  work  on  Dr.  Ament' s  part  was  the  prepa- 
ration for  the  coming  fierce  onslaught  upon  the  Christian 
Church.  During  the  two  years  preceding  the  Boxer  out- 
break, the  eagerness  of  our  Christian  youth  and  others  to 
read  the  newspapers  and  Christian  monthlies,  in  order  to 
learn  the  true  course  of  events,  was  scarcely  behind  that 
of  the  missionaries  themselves. 

Among  the  pleasures  of  the  life  in  Peking  was  that  of 
association  with  a  very  considerable  number  of  literary 
students  not  only  in  the  missionary  body  but  also  in  the 
legations  and  imperial  customs.  Under  the  leadership 
of  such  men  as  Dr.  Martin,  for  a  long  time  the  most  dis- 
tinguished among  the  real  sinologues  in  China,  or  of  Dr. 
Edkins,  noted  for  his  delving  in  archaeological  lore,  there 
was  formed  a  literary  association,  called  the  ''Peking 
Association."    It  held  its  meetimgs  once  a  month.    Many 


THE  EXPANSION  OF  SERVICE  139 

most  valuable  papers  were  read  before  this  society,  and 
many  discussions  of  current  or  useful  topics  held  a  place. 
The  select  papers  of  this  Association  were  not  infrequently 
published  in  the  journal  of  the  Peking  Oriental  Society, 
established  for  the  purpose  of  archaeological  and  similar 
studies.  Dr.  Ament  was  an  enthusiastic  leader  in  the 
missionary  association  and  prepared  papers  for  it,  some 
of  especial  value.  One  of  the  more  important  of  these 
appears  in  the  above  mentioned  journal,  Volume  III,  Num- 
ber 2,  Peking,  1892.  The  title, of  this  paper  is  :  "Marco 
Polo  in  Cambaluc  ;  a  Comparison  of  Foreign  and  Native 
Accounts.'^ 

The  paper  itself  is  an  admirable  example  of  careful 
and  extended  research  of  a  most  interesting  subject,  pre- 
sented in  a  literary  style  attractive  and  suggestive.  The 
preparation  of  such  a  paper  involved  reading  in  Chinese 
histories  and  monographs  of  the  period  and  commentaries 
by  later  writers.  Dr.  Ament' s  constant  interest  in  his- 
torical studies  sustained  him  in  this  elaborate  course  of 
reading.  The  monuments  at  Peking  and  in  the  adjoin- 
ing country  are  themselves  a  stimulus  to  antiquarian  re- 
search. These  interests  combine  in  this  fine  essay  to 
place  the  actual  Marco  Polo  before  us  in  an  active  and 
living  form.  Since  the  paper  is  concealed  in  the  afore- 
mentioned journal,  it  may  be  well  to  give  a  summary  to 
illustrate  the  literary  side  of  Dr.  Ament' s  pastimes.  The 
literature  of  his  subject  is  found  in  three  volumes  in  Eng- 
lish, and  seven  Chinese  books.  The  former  are  the 
"Travels  of  Marco  Polo,"  by  Colonel  Yule;  Ho  worth's 
"History  of  the  Mongols";  and  Dr.  Bretschneider's 
"Archaeological  and  Historical  Researches  in  Peking  and 
its  Environs."  The  Chinese  books  referred  to  are  sev- 
eral elaborate  histories  and  the  annals  of  Shun  Tien  Fu 
(Peking)  and  Cho  Chou.  It  is  known  to  the  students  of 
Chinese  that  almost  every  district  and  city  in  China  has 


140  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

its  officially  published  book  of  annals,  from  which  those 
who  are  interested  may  draw  the  most  definite  accounts 
of  any  district,  reaching  back  to  the  dim  mists  of  very 
early  times.  From  such  sources  Dr.  Ament  drew  his 
comparative  records.  The  study  opens  with  a  careful 
estimate  of  the  character  of  Kublai  Khan,  the  Mongol 
conqueror  of  China,  during  whose  sway  Marco  spent  his 
years  in  China.  It  was  under  Kublai  and  at  his  direc- 
tion that  one  of  the  lamas  prepared  a  written  form  for  the 
Mongol  language.  The  Nestorian  alphabet  and  the 
Syrian  script  written  perpendicularly  were  adopted  and 
a  literature  prepared.  It  was  under  the  direction  of  the 
same  great  Khan  that  the  Grand  Canal  was  constructed, 
extending  from  Peking  to  Hang  Chou.  It  was  still 
further  under  this  active  prince  that  the  present  site  of 
the  city  was  chosen. 

The  essay  of  Dr.  Ament  centres  about  three  principal 
points.  Owing  to  a  careful  study  of  the  Chinese  histories 
he  is  able  to  explain  some  of  the  misunderstandings  of 
even  Colonel  Yule's  great  book  on  Marco.  He  illustrates 
the  reasons  why  Kublai  failed  to  secure  for  his  reign  many 
of  the  great  ministers  who  had  served  under  the  last  of 
the  Sungs.  It  would  appear  to  have  been  a  high-minded 
loyalty  to  their  Chinese  emperor  that  made  it  impossible 
for  them  to  accept  rewards  from  another. 

There  is  given  a  high  appreciation  from  Chinese 
sources  of  the  son  of  Kublai,  who,  while  chosen  as  the 
successor  of  Kublai,  died  ere  he  had  been  able  to  succeed 
in  the  line. 

A  second  point  is  the  fixing  historically  of  the  location 
of  the  real  city  founded  by  Kublai,  known  to  Marco  as 
the  city  of  the  great  Khan,  Khan  Baligh — the  Cambaluc 
of  the  histories. 

A  third  point  of  interest  is  the  correction  of  some  er- 
rors in  the  accounts  of  Marco's  journey  south  from  Pe- 


THE  EXPANSION  OF  SERVICE         141 

king  as  far  as  Cho  Chou,  with  reference  to  tlie  noble  bridge 
at  Lu  Kou  Oh'iao  ten  miles  from  Peking,  as  well  as  the 
splendid  pagoda  built  in  586  A.  D. ,  at  the  small  town  of 
Liang  Hsiang,  and  finally  of  the  city  of  Cho  Chou  itself, 
famous  as  the  birthplace  of  three  great  personages,  the  he- 
roes of  the  Three  Kingdoms.  One  of  the  most  interesting 
references  is  that  to  the  silkworm.  The  annals  of  Cho  Chou 
assure  the  reader  that  the  very  ancient  dwellers  of  that 
region  were  the  original  ones  who  may  have  seen  the  silk- 
worm in  its  native  and  wild  state.  The  fact  that  it  died 
away  from  this  region,  being  replaced  in  more  favorable 
places  at  the  centre  of  China,  is  said  to  be  due  to  some 
such  disease  as  has  affected  even  the  modern  worm,  at 
times  destroying  them  in  wide  regions.  It  needed  a  Pas- 
teur to  explain  how  this  came  about  in  a  natural  way, 
through  an  insidious  parasite.  The  Chinese  annalist 
quaintly  remarks  that  he  knows  no  reason  why  the  silk 
trade  should  have  died  out  except  the  fact  that  the  silk- 
worms simply  refused  to  live  there. 

The  Chinese  have  a  famous  saying,  ^' Under  the 
heavens  there  is  but  one  market  town  ;  there  is  but  one 
village,  but  one  Chou  city.'^  South  of  the  city  of  Cho 
Chou  the  roads  of  ten  provinces  unite  or  bifurcate  for 
their  distribution.  On  one  of  the  city  gates  there  is  in- 
scribed, 

"  In  all  the  world  there  is  no  place  so  public  as  this, 
All  cares  and  trials  centre  in  this  One  Cho  Chou." 

Perhaps  in  the  far  distant  future  when  Christianity  is 
the  widely  established  religion  of  the  people  of  China, 
Cho  Chou  will  again  be  widely  known  as  the  city  res- 
cued from  its  heathenism  by  the  diligent  efforts  of  Dr. 
Ament  and  his  well-disciplined  Chinese  pastor  and  help- 
ers— the  final  and  happy  outcome  of  the  great  Boxer  dis- 
turbance in  its  last  fierce  struggle.     In  Marco  Polo's  day 


142  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

the  small  city  of  twenty  thousand  people  had  no  less  than 
fifty-eight  temples  making  it  famous  for  its  old-time  re- 
ligious spirit.  If  once  thus  celebrated  for  its  ancient 
spirit  of  worship,  perhaps  it  may  become  so  again  in  a 
larger  and  better  atmosphere  of  hope  and  infinite  longing. 


The   Ideal  is  that  towards  which  all  that  is  noble  in 
us  is  forever  tending — the  anticipation  of  that  existence. 

— Charbonnell. 

X 

SECOND    FURLOUGH  AND   RETURN 

THE  spring  time  of  1897  found  Mr.  Ament  and  his 
family  en  route  to  America,  to  enjoy  a  furlougli 
after  eight  and  a  half  years  of  ef&cient  labor. 
Miss  Wyett  had  been  in  feeble  health  and  waited  with 
desire  the  return.  Her  life  in  Peking  had  been  most 
helpful  in  many  ways,  especially  in  giving  Mrs.  Ament 
more  time  to  devote  to  the  Chinese  women  and  the  little 
memorial  school.  It  is  pleasant  to  think  of  the  return  to 
the  old  Owosso  home,  and  of  the  peculiar  joy  of  the  aged 
mother  in  having  her  son  with  her  once  more.  The  record 
of  this  furlough  is  sufficiently  brief,  owing  to  the  happy 
fact  that  there  was  no  necessity  for  the  writing  of  many 
letters.  The  first  summer  was  spent  quietly  at  home. 
Mr.  Ament  found  a  place  for  his  outreaching  energies  in 
the  local  Y.  M.  C.  A.  He  became  for  a  time  an  almost 
daily  attendant  and  found  here  an  excellent  opportunity 
for  those  personal  influences  in  which  he  was  an  adept. 
The  story  of  work  in  China  he  also  found  abundant  op- 
portunity to  tell,  and  his  message  was  received  with  great 
interest  among  the  churches  and  the  many  large  associa- 
tional  gatherings  which  he  was  able  to  attend.  Among 
the  most  noticeable  of  these  was  the  annual  meeting  of 
the  American  Board,  held  in  1897  at  Kew  Haven,  Conn. 
Mr.  Ament' s  address  upon  the  conditions  of  Chinaand 
the  hope  of  progress  conditioned  on  the  results  of  the 
then  recent  Japanese  victories,  and  the  great  lesson 
which  China  had  learned  as  to  the  sources  of  Japan's 
wonderful  successes,  attracted  much  attention  and  favor- 
^•bl^  comment,    This  led  to  a  wider  scope  through  invi^ 

143 


144  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

tations  to  address  the  churches  upon  his  favorite  theme, 
which  he  accepted. 

The  crowding  incidents  of  the  coming  years  make  it 
the  less  necessary  to  extend  the  story  of  this  furlough 
other  than  to  refer  to  Mr.  Ament's  effort  to  create  an  in- 
terest in  the  rebuilding  of  the  church  in  the  mission  com- 
pound for  the  regular  Sunday  services.  The  Sunday 
audience  had  long  since  outgrown  the  handsome  little 
church  erected  in  1873.  In  looking  forward  to  his  early 
return  to  China,  Mr.  Ament  felt  obliged  to  consider  more 
than  ever  his  aged  mother,  now  in  her  eightieth  year. 
The  youngest  child  of  her  daughter  was  still  in  her  care, 
a  responsibility  which  she  was  now  scarce  equal  to.  It 
became  necessary  for  Mrs.  Ament  to  remain,  an  arrange- 
ment the  more  desirable  as  her  son  also  was  at  the  proper 
age  to  attend  school,  and  needed  suitable  associates. 

The  beloved  aunt  who  had  been  with  them  in  China 
found  her  home  in  this  happy  group  of  young  and  old. 

Mr.  Cromer  gives  us  a  pleasing  picture  of  Dr.  Ament 
in  a  farewell  service  at  Owosso :  **Once  more  he  is 
standing  among  old  friends  and  neighbors,  before  a  great 
audience  filliug  to  its  utmost  capacity  the  auditorium  of 
that  home  church,  where  in  early  life  he  had  uttered  vows 
to  Christ,  and  where  later  he  had  been  set  apart  by  or- 
daining hands  to  the  work  in  China.  These  two  decades 
of  missionary  activity  have  brought  into  their  finest  finish 
of  development  all  the  powers  of  body,  heart  and  soul. 
They  have  laid  broad  and  deep  his  sympathies  with  the 
Chinese  people,  have  given  him  a  statesman's  compre- 
hension of  governmental  and  international  conditions  and 
relations,  and  have  brought  to  him  rare  powers  as 
preacher  and  platform  speaker  in  both  English  and 
Chinese.  Best  of  all  they  have  filled  him  full  of  the 
ideals,  motives  and  mighty  love  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the 
world.     He  told  us  of  his  love  for  the  Chinese,  of  his 


SECOND  FURLOUGH  AND  RETURN  145 

faith  in  them  and  in  their  future  greatness  as  a  race.  In 
impassioned  utterance  he  poured  forth,  in  the  presence 
of  his  neighbors  and  companions  of  former  years,  his 
soul's  high  loyalty  and  his  life's  deep  consecration. '^ 


Peking,  Oct.  ii,  i8g8. 
To  Dr.  Smith  : 

I  make  it  among  my  first  duties  to  sit  down  and  inform 
you  of  the  progress  of  events  and  the  present  situation.  I  ar- 
rived in  Peking  Saturday,  October  8th.  It  seems  very  quiet 
after  the  rush  and  roar  of  a  year  of  active  work  in  the  States. 
Some  of  the  dear  native  brethren  tramped  clear  down  to  the 
distant  railway  station  to  meet  me  and  I  was  immensely  pleased 
at  their  enthusiasm  on  my  return.  I  trust  that  I  shall  have 
with  them  a  happy  and  useful  term  of  Christian  labor  and  that 
we  together  may  make  deep  inroads  in  the  surrounding  hea- 
thenism. On  Sunday  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  with  all 
the  church  people  who  came,  and  delivering  the  message  given 
me. 

The  change  in  administration  and  the  present  opposition 
to  foreigners,  together  with  the  terrifying  rumors,  interfered 
with  the  coming  to  church  of  many  of  our  people.  We  are 
passing  through  a  great  crisis  and  no  human  being  can  predict 
what  the  outcome  will  be.  There  may  be  an  outbreak  of  fa- 
naticism at  any  time  and  the  situation  seems  to  me  more  seri- 
ous by  far  than  at  any  time  during  the  war  between  China  and 
Japan.  At  Yokohama  we  learned  of  the  coup  d'etat,  the  depo- 
sition of  the  Emperor,  his  supposed  death  and  the  supremacy 
of  the  anti-foreign  party,  but  no  one  thought  that  the  move- 
ment would  assume  its  present  proportions.  The  Emperor  is 
still  alive,  but  his  friends  and  advisers  are  being  harried  from 
the  earth.  The  eunuchs  who  bought  the  books  for  him  last 
spring  have  been  beaten  to  death  with  clubs.  Already  twelve 
high  ministers  of  state  have  been  decapitated  and  when  the 
orgy  will  stop  we  do  not  know.  The  favorable  edicts  of  the 
Emperor  have  all  been  rescinded  and  the  affairs  of  state  re- 
duced to  the  old  regime.  Word  comes  to-day  that  Chang 
Yin  Huan,  formerly  minister  at  Washington  and  an  influential 
mandarin,  with  intelligent  and  far-seeing  views  of  progress,  has 
been  banished  to  Hi,  and  while  en  route  at  Cho  Chou  was  bru- 
tally murdered. 


146  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

I  am  very  glad  to  hear  from  Mrs.  Ament  of  the  enthusiastic 
meeting  of  the  Board  held  at  Grand  Rapids.  It  was  a  great 
grief  to  me  to  be  obliged  to  leave  before  that  meeting,  held 
practically  in  my  own  neighborhood. 

We  have  just  closed  the  fall  session  of  our  Peking  confer- 
ence, a  meeting  which  included  all  the  native  pastors  and  help- 
ers, also  the  local  deacons.  I  could  but  notice  the  decided 
advancement  made  by  these  men  during  the  year  and  a  half  of 
my  absence.  In  the  newly-made  Pastor  Jen  there  was  mani- 
fest a  spirit  of  consecration  and  bearing  of  responsibility  for  the 
general  interests  of  the  Church  at  large  which  would  have  done 
honor  to  men  of  much  wider  experience  and  longer  service. 
A  course  of  study  for  the  unlicensed  helpers  was  blocked  out 
and  a  committee  appointed  to  look  after  the  examinations. 
The  recent  backward  wave  throughout  the  land  has  emptied 
some  of  our  chapels  and  scattered  the  inquirers.  It  will  take 
some  time  to  bring  back  our  constituency  to  where  it  was  be- 
fore the  deposition  of  the  Emperor.  It  is  pathetic  to  hear  them 
pray  for  their  Emperor  whom  they  had  learned  to  regard  as 
their  special  protector  and  guardian.  They  look  upon  him  as 
a  martyr  to  the  cause  of  progress  and  feel  assured  that  only  Di- 
vine Providence  can  save  him  from  his  enemies. 

On  the  15  th  the  last  decree  of  the  Emperor  was  that  a  sys- 
tem of  budgets  as  in  foreign  countries  should  be  adopted.  A 
week  later  the  Emperor  was  a  prisoner  in  his  palace  and  every 
one  was  astonished  to  find  that  he  was  still  alive.  The  six 
most  progressive  men  in  the  empire  were  decapitated  without 
even  the  semblance  of  a  trial  and  every  patriotic  man  trembled 
for  his  life  and  does  so  to-day.  Such  radical  and  tremendous 
changes  had  never  been  devised  or  thought  of  in  the  same 
length  of  time  in  any  country  of  the  world.  The  foreigners 
have  protested  against  any  harmful  treatment  to  the  Emperor. 

Peking,  Sunday,  Oct.  30,  i8g8. 
My  dear  Wife  : 

A  hard  day's  work  has  been  put  in  and  rest  is  very  ac- 
ceptable. It  is  a  joyful  weariness,  as  the  church  was  well  filled 
with  interested  listeners  and  there  were  several  inquirers.  The 
collection  was  the  best  yet,  and  on  the  whole  things  are  looking 
up.  I  have  been  here  three  weeks  and  have  had  only  your  let- 
ter written  ten  days  after  I  left  Owosso.  I  have  no  doubt  sev- 
eral letters  are  straggling  along  somewhere. 


SECOND  FURLOUGH  AND  RETURN     147 

It  seems  that  at  the  row  in  Lu  Kou  Ch'iao,  the  foreigners  in 
the  fracas  were  as  much  to  blame  as  the  Chinese  and  perhaps 
more  so  as  they  ought  to  have  known  better.  I  have  learned 
to  withhold  my  judgment  in  all  such  cases  till  I  have  heard 
both  sides.  Sir  Claude  MacDonald  had  to  retire  some  of  his 
statements  and  demands,  as  it  was  so  conclusive  that  Mr.  Cox 
did  the  first  striking  that  one  could  hardly  blame  a  lot  of  sol- 
diers who  would  not  stand  by  and  see  their  comrade  cuffed 
about.  I  saw  Sir  Robert  yesterday  and  had  a  very  pleasant 
call  at  his  house.  He  was  alone  and  received  me  cordially, 
and  pointed  out  the  little  present  he  had  received  from  dear 
Emily  and  seems  to  value  it  highly.  He  wanted  to  be  remem- 
bered to  you  especially  and  to  Willie. 

Monday. — Ewing  preached  in  the  evening  a  good  sermon  on 
the  "Privilege  of  Suffering."  To-day  I  took  a  ride  to  the 
cemetery.  The  weather  was  agreeable,  the  donkey  easy  and  I 
reached  there  in  good  time  to  sit  down  and  think  and  look  at 
the  three  litde  mounds,  still  green  and  well  rounded,  the 
stones  in  good  shape  and  everything  satisfactory;  but  they 
told  the  story  which  made  the  tears  fall  like  raindrops.  I 
found  that  I  had  been  placing  dear  Emily's  passing  in  1894 ;  it 
was  in  '93.  February  27  th,  that  fateful  day  !  I  felt  some- 
what reconciled  to  life  in  China,  being  near  their  dear  remains. 
Returning  home.  Deacon  Kuo  invited  me  to  a  feast  to  meet  his 
father-in-law,  with  several  others.  We  had  a  nice  little  feast, 
and  I  felt  drawn  to  them  all. 

November  ist. — I  lead  prayers,  at  Mr.  Mateer's  request, 
with  the  printing  office  men  at  7  :  30  a.  m,  so  I  am  rising  a  little 
earlier.  I  want  to  record  one  or  two  of  Sir  Robert's  remarks. 
He  said  he  went  to  Pei  Tai  Ho  this  summer,  the  first  time  he 
had  been  out  of  Peking  for  twelve  and  a  half  years.  He  had 
not  seen  his  wife  for  eighteen  years.  He  called  himself  a  poor, 
decayed  old  man.  He  looks  poorly  and  spoke  sadly.  He 
needs  the  sympathy  of  all  lovers  of  China,  as  I  believe  he  is  a 
real  missionary  of  civilization. 

To-morrow  we  begin  our  station  conference  with  all  the 
helpers  and  deacons  of  the  out-stations.  We  shall  muster  a 
little  force  of  about  sixteen.  I  expect  to  invite  them  all  to  a 
feast.  W.  H.  Murray  has  the  grand  opening  of  his  new  com- 
pound on  Thursday  and  we  are  all  invited  over  but  I  do  not 
see  how  I  can  go,  just  in  the  midst  of  the  conference.  State 
affairs  seem  to  be  moving  on  with  a  little  dynamite  in  the  air. 


148  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

The  troops  from  Kan-su  who  were  brought  here  by  the  Em- 
press Dowager  for  her  own  protection  are  all  Mohammedans 
and  very  strongly  anti-foreign  and  anti-progressive. 

On  Sunday,  the  opportunity  for  showing  their  teeth  came 
when  Engineer  Cox,  Colonel  Radcliffe,  Engineer  Norregard, 
and  Mr.  Campbell  of  the  British  Legation  happened  to  be 
down  by  the  Marco  Polo  bridge,  and  seeing  these  soldiers  in  a 
railroad  house  where  they  had  no  business  to  be,  ordered  them 
away.  A  fracas  ensued  in  which  Cox  was  badly  cut  with 
stones  and  would  have  been  killed  except  that  Norregard 
happened  to  have  a  small  pocket  pistol  with  which  he 
frightened  away  the  men  who  were  pounding  Cox.  Of  course 
the  British  government  has  taken  up  the  matter  vigorously, 
and  in  union  with  all  the  other  powers  has  demanded  that 
these  troops  should  be  removed  at  least  to  thirty  miles  away 
from  Peking.  Though  the  Empress  has  promised  to  see  that 
the  move  was  made,  nothing  had  been  done  up  to  this  week 
and  on  Sunday  last  an  ultimatum  was  sent  in  that  unless  notice 
was  immediately  taken  of  the  demand  something  important 
would  take  place.  We  are  all  waiting  in  considerable  anxiety 
to  see  what  the  Empress  will  do,  and  what  those  overbold 
Mohammedans  will  do  who  hate  foreigners  for  no  reason. 
Without  doubt  all  rules  of  modern  diplomacy  are  ignored,  and 
if  the  Empress  insists  on  her  policy  of  stupidity,  the  empire 
will  be  divided  up  or  will  be  put  under  a  directorate. 

On  Saturday  last  the  Japanese  minister  saw  the  Emperor 
and  Empress  Dowager  and  presented  them  both  with  decora- 
tions from  the  Mikado  of  Japan.  They  report  the  Emperor  as 
in  fairly  good  health  and  suffering  no  persecution  from  his 
aunt.  The  French  doctor  who  called  on  the  Emperor  at  the 
request  of  the  Empress,  forced  upon  her  by  the  French 
government,  says  that  the  Emperor  is  anaemic,  and  also  has 
Bright's  disease,  so  that  his  outlook  for  life  is  not  very  cheer- 
ing. He  refused  to  take  the  doctor's  medicine  unless  pre- 
sented in  person,  as  of  course  he  is  in  constant  fear  of  poison. 
What  a  life  they  must  all  lead  in  the  palace  where  every 
one  suspects  every  one  else,  where  there  is  no  one  to  be 
relied  on. 

Our  Christians  everywhere  are  praying  for  their  Emperor 
who  seems  to  be  oppressed  in  his  own  home  because  he  obeys 
Confucius' s  rule  of  slavery  to  his  family  superiors,  and  because 
he  is  no  fighter  and  cannot  contend  with  a  vicious  woman. 


SECOND  FURLOUGH  AND  RETURN  149 

His  is  indeed  a  hard  lot  and  better  were  he  to  be  an  ordinary 
farmer  or  laborer. 

Fekingy  Nov.  lo,  i8g8. 
To  HIS  Wife: 

I  have  just  learned  how  extensive  and  wide  reaching 
were  the  reforms  contemplated  by  the  Emperor.  Just  listen  to 
a  few — University  in  Peking,  with  school  boards  in  every  city, 
large  and  small,  in  the  empire ;  imperial  bannermen  to  travel 
abroad  and  learn  the  ways  of  the  world  ;  Weng  T'ung  Ho 
dismissed  because  a  conservative  ;  favorable  report  on  necessity 
of  encouraging  art,  science  and  agriculture;  Wen  Chang 
essays  abolished  in  government  examinations;  Western  arms 
and  drill  for  Tartar  troops  ;  patent  and  copyright  laws ;  reform 
in  military  examinations ;  special  rewards  to  inventors  and 
authors ;  encouragement  of  trade  and  merchants ;  customs 
post  throughout  the  empire ;  general  right  to  memorialize  the 
throne  in  "closed  memorials"  granted;  Manchus  allowed  to 
take  up  trades  and  professions;  systems  of  budgets,  as  in 
foreign  countries. 

A  week  later  came  the  coup  d'etat.  No  wonder  !  Every- 
thing seemed  to  be  on  the  move.  The  Emperor  was  too 
zealous.  I  did  not  mention  the  abolishment  of  the  queue  and 
putting  on  foreign  dress,  which  even  our  little  Pastor  Jen  was 
not  suited  with.  Boards  of  mines  and  machinery  were  ordered 
also.  Six  old  and  useless  boards  in  Peking  were  abolished. 
This  stirred  up  a  fearful  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  turned- 
out  officials.  I  hear  that  the  Mohammedan  soldiers  have  left 
the  city  and  are  to  be  kept  under  better  discipline  down  in  the 
Hunting  Park.  Kiss  the  dear  boy  for  us  all  here.  The 
Chinese  are  never  tired  of  asking  about  him.  I  must  go  into 
the  country  and  dedicate  the  chapel  at  Shun  Yi  (city). 

Our  marines  now  help  to  fill  up  the  chapel  at  Sunday 
service.  Last  Sunday  there  must  have  been  a  dozen  or  more 
blue  coats  there :  Russian,  Italian,  German,  French,  or  English 
marines  can  be  met  at  any  time  on  the  streets.  They  quite 
variegate  the  scenery. 

Monday,  November  21st. — I  reached  home  to-day  from 
Shun  Yi.  Pastor  Jen  was  with  me  at  Shun  Yi,  and  we 
reached  the  chapel  in  time  to  get  rested  for  the  evening  meet- 
ing, which  Jen  led.  Our  new  premises  are  large  and  comfort- 
able. 


150  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

I  found  all  the  church-members  were  making  great  prepara- 
tions for  a  feast,  as  I  had  sent  them  word  that  I  would  give  the 
flour.  But  it  seems  the  leading  merchants  of  the  city,  pawn- 
brokers and  others,  wanted  to  present  to  the  new  chapel  a 
banner  in  appreciation  of  the  honor  conferred  on  the  city. 
This  was  to  be  done  on  Sunday,  to  my  annoyance,  and  of 
course  Helper  Han  and  the  men  thought  that  a  feast  must  be 
given  in  return  for  this  honor.  I  was  expected  to  shell  out  the 
larger  portion  of  the  cost  for  this  feast,  which  I  did  somewhat 
grumblingly,  telling  Han  that  it  must  never  happen  again,  but 
as  this  was  the  first  meeting  after  my  return,  I  would  fork  out 
the  money.  So  after  the  morning  service  of  dedication,  when 
five  men  were  baptized,  we  repaired  to  the  outer  chapel  and 
ate  our  feast  with  sixteen  of  the  big  wigs  of  Shun  Yi.  They 
brought  their  own  wine  and  drank  it  in  liberal  quantities. 

Wednesday. — To-day  the  wives  of  the  foreign  ministers  are 
allowed  to  call  upon  the  Empress  Dowager.  It  will  be  quite 
an  event  and  I  shall  be  anxious  to-morrow  to  hear  the  result. 
There  is  a  rumor  that  the  old  lady  has  backed  out. 

The  Tract  Society  committee  meet  at  my  rooms  and  doubt- 
less the  Monthly  will  be  resuscitated.  I  am  not  anxious  for 
the  work,  but  it  seems  ordained  that  I  should  take  it  up  again. 
The  memorial  school  has  about  three  hundred  taels  on  hand 
now. 

Peking,  Chinay  Dec.  14,  i8g8. 
To  Dr.  Smith: 

An  account  of  my  trip  to  the  country  regions  south  and 
west  of  Peking  from  November  26th  to  December  14th,  1898  : 

The  railroad  had  been  completed  since  I  last  saw  them  and 
I  was  anxious  to  see  what  impression  the  steam  horse  had 
made.  The  recent  reaction  must  have  some  deleterious 
influence  on  a  volatile  people  like  the  Chinese  and  I  wanted  to 
see  how  they  stood  when  public  opinion  was  arrayed  against 
them. 

The  plan  was  to  leave  Peking  on  the  day  following  Thanks- 
giving, but  a  sudden  rain  spoiled  the  roads  out  of  the  city,  no 
carts  were  to  be  had,  and  so  I  decided  to  take  the  railway 
direct  to  Cho  Chou  where  the  people  were  expecting  me  to 
spend  the  Sabbath  and  leave  the  intervening  stations  until  my 
return.  With  the  usual  inconvenience  of  everything  in 
China,  the  railroad  station  is  located  six  miles  from  the  city 


SECO^^D  FURLOUGH  AND  EETURN     151 

and  though  the  train  did  not  start  till  eleven  o'clock,  I  had  to 
be  up  and  stirring  by  four  in  the  morning,  in  order  to  make 
the  train  over  these  roads.  We  left  the  compound  before 
daylight,  succeeded  in  passing  the  guards  at  the  Front  Gate 
and  floundered  through  the  mud  until  about  ten  o'clock  when 
we  reached  the  station.  The  train  was  an  hour  late,  so  I 
visited  two  hours  with  Mr.  Allardyce,  of  the  London  Mission, 
who  was  en  route  to  one  of  his  country  stations. 

The  first  incident  after  mounting  the  train  was  not  wholly 
agreeable.  The  engine  which  had  gone  to  take  on  water  on 
its  return  came  against  the  train  so  suddenly  and  with  such 
force  that  I  was  thrown  violently  against  the  corner  of  their 
board  seats  and  struck  my  knee-cap  with  considerable  force. 
It  hurt  me  dreadfully  and  I  was  quite  lame  for  ten  days  there- 
after. I  inquired  concerning  the  engineer  and  found  that  he 
was  a  wholly  incompetent  man  who  secured  his  position 
through  influence.  The  same  fatal  policy  of  intrigue  and 
money  seems  to  obtain  on  the  railroad  as  in  all  places  where 
the  Chinese  have  control.  I  talked  with  the  foreign  superin- 
tendent, an  Englishman,  and  he  said  these  things  were  outside 
his  province,  and  all  he  could  do  was  to  make  an  occasional 
protest.  The  cars  are  very  uncomfortable,  never  being  swept 
or  warmed,  and  the  benches  are  very  hard.  But  it  was 
delightful  to  glide  along  with  comparative  rapidity  over 
regions  through  which  I  had  ploughed  my  way  many  times  in 
heavy  mule-carts. 

Cho  Chou,  fifty  miles  distant,  was  reached  at  three  in  the 
afternoon  of  Saturday.  Without  the  help  of  the  railroad  I 
could  not  have  met  my  engagement  with  the  brethren.  On 
Sabbath  day  the  friends  gave  me  a  most  hearty  greeting  back 
to  the  old  work,  and  I  felt  encouraged  that  so  many  seemed 
pleased  that  I  had  returned  to  work  among  them.  A  goodly 
company  filled  the  chapel  and  we  had  a  delightful  service. 
The  many  rumors  of  revolt  and  trouble  with  foreigners  had 
succeeded  in  frightening  away  all  of  the  inquirers,  but  the 
regular  members  seemed  to  stand  firm  and  faithful. 

On  reaching  P'ing  T'ing  I  proceeded  to  our  little  chapel, 
where  resides  our  Li  Chung  Ho  with  his  wife  and  daughter. 
Mr.  Li  was  formerly  a  fortune-teller  but  is  now  a  warm-hearted 
preacher  of  the  truth.  His  daughter,  a  cripple,  sings  like  a 
morning  lark  and  is  a  great  help  in  their  meetings.  A  few 
months   ago  the  work  in  this  market  town  and  vicinity  was 


152  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

most  encouraging  and  the  helper  was  full  of  enthusiasm.  But 
the  coup  d'etat  in  Peking  took  place,  the  soldiers  of  General 
Tung  passed  along  through  their  streets,  going,  as  they  said,  to 
kill  all  the  foreigners  and  rid  the  country  of  their  presence. 
The  fright  which  followed  was  pitiful  to  behold.  The  people 
were  bound  to  believe  the  worst  and  no  amount  of  arguing 
could  remove  their  first  impressions. 

Leaving  P'ing  T'ing,  I  proceeded  twenty  miles  to  the  market 
town  of  Nan  Meng,  in  the  Pa  Chou  district.  Here  we  have 
located  our  native  pastor  Hung,  with  his  family.  He  has 
steadfastness  of  purpose  and  is  not  afraid  to  do  right  even 
though  it  results  in  temporary  unpopularity. 

I  left  this  place  Monday,  December  5  th,  and  proceeded 
through  the  city  of  Pa  Chou.  This  is  an  unfortunate  region, 
having  been  flooded  for  years.  During  the  period  of  depres- 
sion the  poverty  of  the  people  was  relieved  by  the  generosity  of 
Dr.  Blodget  who  kept  the  people  alive.  Now  after  many  years 
the  people  seem  to  be  responding  to  the  call  of  duty.  A 
helper  is  on  the  ground  in  the  person  of  Deacon  Heng,  of  the 
Peking  church. 

From  this  place  I  proceeded  to  the  city  of  Wen  An,  over  a 
road  which  I  had  crossed  many  times  by  boat,  but  which  is  dry 
now  for  the  first  time  in  twenty-seven  years.  We  first  went  to 
the  village  of  Tung  Ying,  where  formerly  resided  the  first  con- 
vert of  this  region,  Wang  P'ing.  Here  resided  the  other 
Wang  family,  two  teachers  from  which  helped  us  in  the 
language  twenty  years  ago.  The  son  of  one  of  these  teachers 
is  now  a  literary  graduate  and  has  not  forgotten  the  instruction 
he  received  as  a  boy. 

Returning  from  here  to  Cho  Chou,  I  made  arrangements  for  a 
station  class  to  meet  at  the  chapel  during  the  latter  part  of  De- 
cember. I  visited  Pu  An  Tun.  The  litde  chapel  here  is  occu- 
pied by  a  young  man  and  his  mother.  For  his  loyalty  to  Christ 
be  alienated  his  wife,  so  that  she  went  to  her  father's  house  with- 
out permission,  told  him  of  the  son-in-law,  in  consequence  of 
which  the  father-in-law  led  a  band  of  men  to  beat  the  Chris- 
tian, but  not  finding  him,  demeaned  themselves  by  beating  his 
old  mother.  We  never  could  stand  coolly  by  and  see  an  old 
lady  beaten  by  a  band  of  ruffians.  We  entered  the  village  by 
a  quiet,  retired  road  and  the  young  man  called  to  his  father-in- 
law  to  come  out  to  the  gate.  The  latter,  supposing  the  youth 
had  come  to  take  vengeance,  had  armed  himself  with  a  pitch- 


SECOND  FURLOUGH  AND  RETURN     153 

fork.  He  found  a  foreigner  who  looked  him  in  the  face  and 
proposed  to  talk  the  matter  through.  I  asked  him  if  it  looked 
proper  for  six  strong  men  to  go  to  a  village  and  beat  a  de- 
fenseless old  woman.  He  said  the  old  woman  talked  too 
much  and  always  on  her  side  of  the  question.  1  asked  him 
what  side  she  should  talk  on,  if  not  her  own  side  ?  He  agreed 
to  send  his  daughter  back,  but  not  to  look  up  the  men  who 
helped  him  beat  the  woman.  I  went  away  telling  him  that  I 
would  ask  the  magistrate  to  find  the  men.  The  magistrate 
made  inquiries.  The  father-in-law  appeared  and  acknowledged 
his  evil  deeds.  The  young  man  has  come  out  with  flying  col- 
ors, forgives  his  father-in-law  and  has  manifested  a  beautiful 
Christian  spirit. 

On  the  same  day  the  Empress  Dowager  granted  the  long  ex- 
pected audience  to  the  ladies  of  the  legations.  They  report  a 
cordial  reception  on  the  part  of  the  Empress,  who  kissed  them 
all  in  turn  and  pressed  a  jewelled  ring  on  a  finger  of  each  lady. 
Socially  this  function  seems  a  great  success.  The  Emperor 
was  present  at  the  reception. 

Peking,  Dec.  i8,  i8g8  {after  Sunday-school). 
To  Mrs.  Ament  : 

A  day  of  hard  work  is  about  closing  and  my  thoughts 
naturally  revert  to  you.  The  church  was  full  this  morning  and 
the  collection  the  largest  in  our  history — eighty-nine  strings 
and  more,  that  is  considerably  more  than  ten  dollars.  Of 
course  some  are  making  up  their  annual  pledge,  but  the  fact 
remains  that  others  are  learning  the  pleasures  of  giving.  I 
preached  on  Mai.  iii.  i6,  and  urged  them  to  close  the  year 
with  their  pledges  all  paid  and  their  consciences  clear.  With 
companies  like  that  we  had  this  morning,  we  begin  to  think  of 
a  new  meeting  house. 

I  have  received  my  first  formal  notice  of  the  granting  of  the 
degree  at  Oberlin.  I  think  I  shall  be  rather  leisurely  in  my 
reply.  (Oberlin  College,  at  Oberlin,  Ohio,  at  its  commence- 
ment anniversary,  had  given  to  Mr.  Ament  the  degree  of  doctor 
of  divinity.  It  had  been  twenty-five  years  since  he  had 
graduated  from  the  college.) 

Peking,  Jan.  12,  i8gg. 
My  dear  Wife  : 

I  am  getting  the  report  of  the  memorial  school  printed 
and  will  push  it  through  as  soon  as  possible.     With  what  Mrs. 


154  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Ewing  adds  it  makes  a  good  sized  report.  Dr.  Lowry's  in- 
juries (when  attacked  by  the  mob  en  route  from  the  railroad 
station,  with  Bishop  Joyce  and  his  daughters)  were  shght,  and 
he  suffered  only  a  day  or  two  interruption  of  his  work. 

The  city  is  quite  excited  over  financial  affairs,  several  native 
banks  being  shut,  and  one  or  two  looted  by  mobs.  The  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  people  lost  in  the  bank  failure  near  them.  The 
bank  near  us  still  holds  out  and  claims  there  is  no  danger. 

Headland  is  translating  in  rhyme  all  the  baby  ditties  he  can 
get  hold  of,  illustrating  them,  and  will  make  a  book.  He  can 
repeat  his  jingles  by  the  yard.  On  New  Year's  Day  we  are 
going  to  go  down  to  Tung-chow  on  our  wheels,  and  still  make 
the  rounds  on  the  same  day. 

Wednesday,  21st. — I  preach  daily  in  the  front  chapel ;  good 
audiences  now;  read  with  the  teacher,  old  Chang  of  Cho 
Chou,  a  little  in  the  forenoon ;  have  translated  or  adapted  one 
chapter  from  Gladden's  *' Ruling  Ideas,"  and  will  send  it  to 
the  Wan  Kuo  Kung  Pao — The  Globe  Magazine. 

Our  church  contributions  have  been  gathered  for  the  year, 
and  we  find  that  they  are  nearly  double  what  they  were  last 
year.  Pastor  Jen  and  Deacon  Wan  are  in  the  country,  at  the 
expense  of  the  native  church,  as  a  committee  of  visitation.  It 
is  cold  weather  for  them,  but  Jen  is  enthusiastic  over  the  plan, 
and  it  seems  to  be  working  well.  That  is  the  bright  side  to 
our  work,  the  way  the  native  brethren  are  taking  up  the  re- 
sponsibilities of  church  work.     It  bodes  well  for  the  future. 

To  HIS  Son  : 

We  have  been  having  some  splendid  meetings,  and  our 
little  chapel  has  been  crowded  day  after  day.  About  thirty 
people  taken  on  probation.  I  thought  of  our  dear  Emily  Feb- 
ruary 27th,  as  that  was  the  day  she  left  us  mourning.  I  sleep 
in  the  same  room,  and  saw  her  dear  face  and  Mama's  anxious 
face  and  trust  that  God  will  spare  us  any  more  such  experi- 
ences in  this  line. 


During  the  earlier  part  of  the  year,  on  May  23,  1898, 
the  native  pastor,  Jen  Chao  Hal,  was  ordained  as  pastor 
of  the  North  Church.  Secretary  Judsou  Smith,  of  the 
deputation  to  China,  was  present  and  gave  an  address. 
The  new  pastor  commanded  the  respect  of  the  Chinese 


SECOND  FURLOUGH  AND  RETURX     155 

members  and  proved  himself  wise  and  aggressive  in  di- 
recting the  affairs  of  the  church.  Following  the  lead  of 
the  Shantung  station,  in  the  spring  also,  a  conference  of 
the  churches  of  the  Peking  station  had  been  organized. 
The  second  meeting  of  this  conference  is  referred  to  in 
the  above  letters  of  Dr.  Ament.  The  organization  was 
completed,  by  including  all  the  deacons  of  the  chui'ches 
and  a  delegate  for  each  thirty  members,  besides  the  pas- 
tors, helpers  and  Bible  women. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  year  a  long  desired  location  for 
the  new  South  Church  was  secured,  adjoining  the  former 
premises  and  to  the  right  of  the  premises  now  opened  for 
the  Woman's  Hospital  and  other  work.  Plans  for  the 
new  building  were  drawn  up,  though  the  work  was  de- 
layed through  insufficient  funds  in  hand.  The  report 
for  the  station  at  the  annual  meeting  showed  a  member- 
ship of  seven  hundred  and  eleven  in  the  ten  out-stations 
reported,  the  number  of  chapels  or  preaching  places  be- 
ing seventeen.  As  an  indication  of  the  growth  of  the 
station  it  is  to  be  noted  that  the  Bridgman  School  had  in  • 
creased  its  membership  to  the  number  of  sixty-six,  with 
an  average  attendance  of  sixty.  These  were  a  regular 
part  of  the  Sunday  audience. 

Annual  Mission  Meetings 
Tung-chow,  June  i,  i8gg. 
My  dear  Mary  : 

Your  Grand  Rapids  letter  came  with  the  last  mail. 
How  you  are  working  for  the  new  church  (at  Peking).  You 
inspire  me  with  courage.  You  did  grandly  at  Grand  Rapids, 
and  having  two  hundred  dollars  makes  a  big  start  for  the  five 
hundred  seats  needed.  Doubtless  you  know  by  this  time  that 
five  hundred  will  be  all  the  chairs  needed  according  to  our 
present  plan.  Our  third  church  outside  the  East  Gate  (Chi 
Hua  Men)  is  materializing.  They  are  putting  up  a  new 
building  for  school  and  chapel  purposes.  We  help  with 
material  from  the  temple  and  the  church-members  have  given 


156  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

one  hundred  and  twenty  tiao.  So  Kao  will  do  the  rest  and 
the  work  will  go  on  cheerfully.  They  also  propose  to  pay 
part  of  the  salary  of  a  teacher,  if  we  will  put  one  there.  The 
third  church  is  in  sight,  you  see.  Peking  makes  a  fine  show- 
ing at  mission  meeting  in  all  the  elements  of  progress.  Nan 
Meng,  Shun  Yi,  and  Cho  Chou  all  promised  to  try  and  do 
something  on  salary  of  helpers  stationed  there.  Do  not  have 
any  anxiety  about  us  out  here.  The  Lord's  work  is  going  on 
and  will  in  spite  of  devils  and  men. 

Meetings  with  the  helpers  are  all  through,  ending  with 
reports  of  the  three  who  went  to  the  Shanghai  Students* 
Convention.  They  made  a  fine  report  and  seemed  immensely 
pleased  with  their  trip.  We  had  nine  men  at  the  meetings  and 
I  think  carried  the  regard  of  all,  and  showed  that  they  were 
making  progress.  I  am  more  and  more  proud  of  my  company 
in  this  mission.  I  do  not  know  where  you  could  gather  a 
more  delightful  company  of  people.  The  weather  is  charming ; 
occasional  rains  temper  the  sky.  The  willow  trees  are  quite 
large  and  the  campus  a  mass  of  green. 


God  calls  men  to  be  strong,  to  be 
heroic,  because  they  are  not  born  to 
be  cowards,  but  with  the  birthright  of 
an  invincible  courage  and  determina- 
tion. Men  and  women  are  still  called 
to  come  up  to  the  help  of  the  Master, 
to  share  His  burden  for  the  world, 
— H.  Kingman. 


XI 

REFORM,  PROGRESS  AND  OMENS  OF  EVIL 

Peking,  June  13,  i8gQ 
Dear  Dr.  Smith  : 

History  is  forming  here  at  a  rate  unknown  in  many 
countries.  People  complain  of  the  Chinese  inertia,  but  to  my 
observation  the  Chinese  are  doing  more  thinking  to  the  day 
than  they  are  given  credit  for.  While  visiting  a  yamen  to-day 
at  the  request  of  the  London  Mission,  their  senior  missionary 
being  absent,  the  official,  after  a  moment  of  thoughtful  silence, 
said  to  me,  *'  We  Chinese  do  excite  the  contempt  of  foreigners. 
We  are  truly  contemptible  in  many  ways."  There  had  been 
nothing  said  to  draw  out  this  remark.  It  was  evidently  in  his 
mind.  That  was  a  terrible  confession  for  a  military  mandarin 
to  make  to  a  stranger  from  a  foreign  land.  They  are  thinking, 
and  thinking  deeply,  only  the  political  conditions  are  such  that 
we  do  not  get  the  results  of  their  cogitations. 

The  leading  anti-foreign  leader  in  North  China  is  Kang  Yi 
who  has  recently  been  sent  by  the  Empress  to  inspect  fortifica- 
tions and  military  resources  up  and  down  the  Yang  Tzu.  You 
will  hardly  believe  that  this  hide-bound  old  conservative  so 
hates  foreigners  that  he  refuses  to  go  where  they  are  at 
Shanghai  and  other  places  and  thinks  that  the  earthworks  and 
old  fortifications  of  centuries  ago  are  sufficient  for  protection  at 
the  present  time. 

The  Emperor  at  the  present  time  though  kept  in  nominal 
confinement  is  allowed  a  large  amount  of  liberty  and  doubtless 
is  as  happy  as  he  knows  how  to  be.  The  other  day  he  was 
selecting  an  adopted  son  from  among  the  children  of  the 
hereditary  iron-capped  princes  who  constitute  the  aristocracy 
of  Peking.     It  is  possible  that  the  Empress  is  looking  up  a 

157 


158  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

puppet  to  place  on  the  throne,  as  it  is  said  the  Emperor  desires 
to  retire  to  his  ancestral  home  in  Manchuria.  There  can  be 
little  hope  of  his  doing  that,  as  that  region  is  practically 
Russian  territory.  The  Emperor  has  been  subjected  to  no 
cruel  treatment  so  far  as  we  can  learn  and  the  Empress 
Dowager  is  far  too  shrewd  a  manager  to  put  him  out  of  the  way 
when  she  knows  foreign  sentiment  is  as  strong  as  it  is  in  his 
favor.  The  whole  reactionary  feehng  in  Peking  is  based  upon 
the  conception  that  the  throne  of  the  Manchus  is  in  danger 
and  can  be  secured  only  by  holding  all  foreigners  at  a  distance 
and  pitting  one  nation  against  another. 

The  problem  before  them  now  is  how  to  retain  progressive 
ideas,  hold  foreign  methods,  religions,  and  people  aloof,  and 
adjust  China  to  new  conditions  without  disturbing  existing 
institutions.  If  their  fears  can  be  allayed  as  to  the  integrity  of 
the  empire,  we  shall  see  that  the  adjustment  will  go  on  more 
rapidly  than  in  the  past.  You  speak  about  the  reform  move- 
ment and  deplore  its  sudden  collapse.  That  Kang  Yu  Wei, 
the  leader,  was  an  unfit  man  for  the  great  confidence  the 
Emperor  placed  in  him,  there  is  little  doubt.  He  was  a 
thorough  Confucianist  and  under  his  rule  Christianity  would 
not  have  the  toleration  that  it  has  now.  The  Emperor  seems 
to  have  been  the  most  honorable  man  of  the  lot,  as  without 
doubt  most  of  the  others  were  actuated  by  mercenary  motives 
and  had  no  moral  force  which  would  have  sustained  them  in 
prosperity.  To  impose  Western  ideas  and  customs  on  the 
Chinese  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet  as  the  Germans  are  doing 
in  Shantung  will  only  lead  to  bad  feeling  and  may  set  back  the 
wheels  of  progress  of  all  concerned.  When  Americans  begin 
to  see,  as  a  few  do,  how  intimately  our  interests  are  wrapped 
up  with  those  of  China  and  how  this  land  is  the  natural  outlet 
for  our  surplus  products,  then  the  study  of  Chinese  affairs  will 
really  begin,  and  we  shall  have  a  sympathetic  as  well  as 
material  interest  in  the  genuine  reform  of  this  nation.  The 
coming  political  movement  is  the  alliance  of  England,  Japan 
and  the  United  States  along  lines  which  will  strengthen  our 
position  in  the  East,  preserve  the  autonomy  of  Korea,  help  the 
internal  development  of  Japan,  sustain  China  as  an  inde- 
pendent nation,  and  stop  this  grabbing  for  territory  which  is  a 
disgrace  to  the  nations,  and  open  up  this  whole  region  so  rich 
in  resources  to  the  markets  of  the  world.  These  three  nations 
hold  the  key  of  the  situation  if  they  are  willing  to  use  it. 


EEFORM,  PROGRESS,  OMENS  OF  EVIL    159 

Western  Hills,  Aug.  6,  i8gg. 
My  dear  Wife  : 

Yes,  it  is  true,  I  am  in  our  old  home  on  the  hilltop, 
drinking  in  the  fresh  air  and  revelling  in  scenery  and  breezes. 
I  have  improved  every  hour  since  I  luxuriated  in  the  air  all 
Saturday  and  by  evening  was  equal  to  a  game  of  tennis,  though 
rather  antiquated  in  my  movements.  I  planned  to  run  over 
to-day,  Sunday,  to  Lu  Kou  Ch'iao,  but  Mrs.  Lyon  said  I  had 
no  wife  and  she  knew  I  was  too  tired  to  go.  So  I  am  resting 
in  writing  to  you,  for  the  communion  with  you  is  the  best 
tonic.  Especially  on  this  hilltop,  where  we  have  had  so  many 
happy  days  and  where  there  are  so  many  reminiscences  of  you, 
1  feel  as  though  next  to  seeing  you  was  talking  with  you. 
The  trees  that  you  and  I  nourished  with  so  much  care  are  still 
growing  though  they  have  not  attained  much  size.  I  am 
living  in  the  room  occupied  by  Aunt  Anna.  It  is  cool  and 
delightful  and  my  system  responds  immediately  to  nature's 
healing  influences.  I  am  glad  that  I  am  not  so  antiquated 
that  1  cannot  build  up  much  easier  than  I  wear  out.  The 
house  seems  like  an  old  friend,  as  every  beam  and  piece  of 
stone  has  a  familiar  look. 

The  translators  are  hard  at  work — Drs.  Mateer  and  Woods 
— the  latter  a  very  pleasant  Virginia  gentleman  about  my  age 
or  a  little  younger. 

Monday. — Waked  up  this  morning  full  of  praise  and  glad- 
ness, after  a  most  restful  night.  This  is  a  beautiful  world  and 
we  should  be  in  the  right  spirit  to  enjoy  it.  I  am  sending  into 
the  city  to  see  about  Teacher  Tu's  coming  out,  and  we  will 
work  up  the  church  paper.  I  hope  the  scheme  talked  up  with 
Richard  will  pan  out,  and  the  two  papers  be  combined  into 
one.  I  think  I  could  do  some  literary  work  of  value,  if  I  had 
the  time,  and  Richard  wants  me  to  do  translating  work.  I 
could  do  that  and  be  in  any  out-station. 

Good-bye.     Love  from  the  people  on  the  hilltop. 

Tu  Hsien  Sheng  came  out  two  days  ago  and  we  are  getting 
out  the  next  Pao.  As  he  is  a  bright,  quick  man  it  makes  it 
much  easier  for  me.  Hsueh  sends  seventeen  dollars  from 
Germany. 

Peking,  Aug.  2i,  i8gg. 
To  Dr.  Smith: 

It   is   some  time   since  I  have  written  to   you.     The 
progress  of  events  in  Peking  has  not  been  rapid  but  I  am 


160  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

thankful  that  after  the  lapse  of  two  or  three  months  we  can 
have  something  of  interest  to  record.  On  the  whole,  it  has 
been  rather  a  monotonous  summer  for  direct  work  in  missions. 
The  air  is  full  of  rumors  and  the  people  seem  to  have  a  dull 
apprehension  that  in  some  way  or  other  the  foreigners  are 
going  to  injure  them  or  their  country. 

The  Japanese  have  shown  a  beautiful  spirit  of  sympathy  and 
desire  to  help  their  poor  old  broken  neighbor.  They  are 
kinder  and  more  Christian  than  some  nations  professedly 
Christian.  No  light  penetrates  the  palace  in  Peking  and  the 
same  stupid  measures  are  being  urged  and  plans  made  as 
characterized  them  five  years  ago.  The  Chinese  never  learn 
anything  from  history  and  cannot  reason  by  induction. 
That  Japan  is  seriously  displeased  with  Russia  for  her  designs 
on  China  there  can  be  no  doubt.  It  looks  as  though  Japan 
wished  to  bring  things  to  a  crisis  with  Russia  before  the 
Siberian  railway  is  finished  and  troops  can  be  massed  rapidly. 
On  the  other  hand  Russia  wants  to  move  quietly  till  she  gets 
everything  ready.  With  all  this  squabbling  among  the  nations 
and  diverson  of  British  interests  by  their  affairs  in  Africa,  it 
looks  as  though  the  strain  must  be  relieved  somewhat.  The 
Empress  Dowager  is  mad  after  money  and  the  expedition  of 
her  commissioner,  Kang  Yi,  to  the  south  in  her  interest  is 
stirring  up  a  lot  of  discontent  and  revolution  may  follow.  He 
is  closing  up  all  the  schools  for  foreign  learning  up  and  down 
the  Yang  Tzu  but  has  struck  a  snag  in  Chang  Chih  Tung  who 
says  his  schools  are  run  with  private  funds  and  refuses  to  hand 
over  the  endowments  to  Mr.  Kang. 

Peking^  Sept.  5,  i8gg. 
My  dear  Wife: 

It  is  late  Tuesday  evening  and  I  leave  early  to-morrow 
morning  for  Shun  Yi.  I  can  get  away  for  a  few  days  and  feel 
the  need  of  a  change.  The  way  is  open  for  our  school,  and 
we  shall  begin  at  nearly  the  usual  time.  I  went  outside  the 
Ch'i  Hua  Gate  and  preached  to-day  in  a  gambling  shop.  The 
gambling  went  on  as  usual.  I  had  a  good  company  to  listen. 
I  also  settled  a  long  standing  quarrel  between  Deacon  Wen 
and  his  wife.  She  had  her  wifely  grievances  and  he  ignored 
them.  He  confessed  his  error  and  said  he  never  thought  of 
things  as  I  put  them.  He  is  a  good  man  but  stupid  in  his 
dealings  with  his  wife  and  constantly  irritated  her.     I  hope 


REFORM,  PROGRESS,  OMENS  OF  EVIL    161 

they  will  see  better  days  now.  I  received  your  letter  of  July 
23d  saying  you  have  two  hundred  and  thirty  dollars  for  chapel 
seats.     You  have  done  well. 

Fondly  yours, 

W.  S.  A. 

September  26,  i8gg. 

We  are  waiting  for  the  Mateers  to  come  into  the  com- 
pound. They  are  arriving  from  Japan.  I  shall  rejoice  when 
our  wheels  are  all  in  working  order,  and  I  can  bend  to 
individual  tasks.  As  it  is  Ewing  and  Pastor  Jen  are  in  the 
country  and  their  work  falls  on  rae  in  addition  to  the  South 
Chapel,  and  opening  the  new  school.  The  last  things  are  being 
done  in  the  schoolroom,  and  you  would  be  pleased  to  see  the 
new  arrangements.  Gammon  is  here  looking  after  the  interests 
of  the  Bible  Society,  and  seems  to  be  a  man  with  good  ideas. 
He  is  fixing  up  that  room  Gattrell  used  to  live  in,  and  may 
bring  his  wife  up  sometimes,  as  the  room  is  warm  and  com- 
fortable. Gammon  will  find  his  hands  full  caring  for  his 
sixteen  colporteurs  and  he  will  need  to  bend  to  his  business  or 
his  men  will  run  away  with  him. 

They  were  nearly  mobbed  in  Shantung,  and  Porter  tele- 
graphed for  protection.  A  day  was  set  for  their  extermination. 
The  governor  got  troops  in  to  head  off  the  revolt.  No  one 
was  hurt  but  a  good  many  well  scared. 

We  have  a  new  family  coming,  Howard  S.  Gait  and  wife. 
Sheffield  writes  to  me  to  meet  them  at  the  station  and  take 
them  for  a  brief  visit  at  Peking.  The  Allardyces  are  comfort- 
ably settled  in  their  new  quarters  just  opposite  us. 

Our  bookstore  is  open  and  is  doing  a  good  business.  We 
sold  about  twelve  dollars'  worth  the  first  day.  So,  two  things 
that  have  been  on  my  mind  for  years  are  under  way — the  board- 
ing-school, and  the  bookstore.  The  new  chapel  is  about  all  that 
remains  for  initiation  and  that  looks  safe  for  next  year.  I  do 
not  know  what  I  shall  do  when  everything  seems  to  be  in 
running  order.  I  think  it  will  be  time  for  me  to  come  home 
and  see  my  family  face  to  face  ! 

Ewing  is  absent  on  a  long  tour  to  the  south.  It  is  pretty 
fine  to  have  a  stout,  willing  young  fellow  like  Ewing,  who  takes 
most  of  the  touring  off  of  my  hands.  Of  course  I  should  be 
glad  to  go,  but  I  have  the  Church  News  on  my  hands  and  am 
pastor  of  a  church  also. 


162  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Peking,  Oct.  iiy  l8gg. 

Our  little  school  is  a  real  comfort  thus  far.  The  boys 
are  fine  fellows  and  Kuo  Feng  Kuan  takes  real  interest  in 
them.  The  old  teacher  is  very  much  disgruntled  that  we  do 
not  allow  him  to  teach,  but  I  agree  with  Mateer  that  we  cannot 
sacrifice  an  institution  to  individuals.  We  have  to  pick  from 
now  on  and  must  take  the  best  we  can  get. 

I  am  leaving  for  Liang  Hsiang  to-morrow  as  there  is  a 
temple  fair  and  an  opportunity  to  sell  books  and  preach.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Arthur  Smith  will  also  come,  as  they  will  be  visiting 
at  Pao  Ting  Fu.     I  trust  we  shall  have  a  good  time. 

We  are  a  dry  and  thirsty  station,  and  need  the  Spirit's  out- 
pouring. I  have  had  a  burden  of  prayer  rolled  on  me  for  our 
work,  and  asked  for  help  as  never  before  and  I  believe  my 
prayers  are  answered.  For  the  last  three  days  a  new  spirit  has 
come  over  the  front  chapel  and  inquirers  have  been  quite 
numerous  and  of  a  good  quality.  I  find  that  all  works  well 
when  we  are  doing  our  part  in  prayer  and  right  living.  It  is 
quite  encouraging  when  the  natives  tell  you  of  their  meetings 
for  prayer.  So  you  may  look  for  news  of  refreshment  before 
long.  The  material  advance  which  we  have  made  through  the 
year  in  the  way  of  securing  new  premises,  the  opening  of  the 
boarding-school,  would  justify  our  year's  endeavor,  but  I  shall 
not  remain  complacent  with  material  advancement.  We  must 
have  a  spiritual  life  corresponding. 

Dr.   Mateer  reads  a  paper  on  ''Money  in  Missions"  next 
Friday  evening.     Mr.    Gammon  led  our  prayer-meeting  last 
evening,  taking  the  topic  of  the  Holy  Spirit.     He  made  a  very 
helpful  address  and  grows  in  our  estimation  all  the  time. 
Your  loving  husband, 

W.  S.  A. 

Peking,  Sept.  2gih. 
My  dear  Wife: 

The  drought  continues  and  to-day  the  board  of  astron- 
omy announces  that  great  calamities  may  come  to  this  country 
and  warns  the  people  to  prepare.  The  people  say  the  Empress 
Dowager  is  too  lazy  in  her  worship  as  she  deputes  all  the 
worship  and  prayer  for  rain  to  some  one  else.  They  say  the 
Emperor  is  the  son  of  heaven  and  he  is  the  proper  one  to 
worship.  So  the  old  stupidity  still  remains  and  it  seems  as  if 
the  patience  of  high  heaven  must  be  nearly  exhausted. 


REFORM,  PROGRESS,  OMENS  OF  EVIL    163 

September  30th. — Mr.  Gammon  left  this  morning,  going  off 
in  a  new  jinricksha  owned  by  Li  Hai  Yen,  son-in-law  of 
Deacon  Kuo.  He  has  bought  ten  vehicles  and  is  going  into 
the  business.  Poor  church-members,  that  have  no  other 
resource,  can  pull  the  cart  and  drag  out  a  precarious  existence. 

Last  evening  Dr.  Mateer  took  a  very  conservative  view  of 
the  use  of  money,  steering  us  between  its  use  and  abuse.  In 
educational  work  he  believes  in  its  free  use,  just  as  we  do  at 
home.  The  foreign  church  will  have  to  carry  the  work  for 
some  time  to  come.  Money  spent  in  support  of  well-trained, 
enthusiastic  preachers  is  well  spent  as  it  saves  foreign  strength 
and  is  legitimate  expenditure.  He  thought  missionaries  were 
drawing  further  away  from  the  Chinese  than  they  were  years 
ago.  Parlors  are  too  clean  for  the  Chinese  and  we  do  not 
want  them  around.  He  thought  that  was  a  mistake  and  a  bad 
tendency.  He  had  seen  the  fallacy  of  the  Nevius  methods, 
also  the  Gospel  Mission  Southern  Baptist  position.  There  was 
little  dissent  from  his  views ;  in  fact  all  felt  about  as  he  did 
that  money  must  be  wisely  used  and  the  more  of  it  used  that 
way  the  better.  Our  ladies  had  a  fine  spread  and  we  all  went 
away  feeling  that  we  had  spent  a  profitable  evening.  The 
grading  of  the  streets  has  gone  on  to  nearly  the  London 
Mission.  Won't  it  be  fine  when  we  have  a  good  bicycle  drive 
to  all  places  in  the  city  ?  My  school  has  assembled,  and  I 
think  we  have  a  fine  set  of  boys.  Wish  you  were  here  to 
assist  in  looking  after  them. 

Love  to  all  the  household, 

W.  S.  A. 

November  igth. 

They  are  having  a  serious  time  near  P'ang  Chuang.  A  sect 
of  spiritual  Boxers,  who  hate  foreigners,  has  sprung  up  and 
seduced  many  to  follow  them.  Two  fights  have  taken  place 
and  more  than  a  hundred  Boxers  have  been  killed  and  yet 
they  are  strong  and  P'ang  Chuang  is  in  danger.  The  schools 
are  not  called  together  as  yet  and  they  feel  as  though  they 
were  in  great  danger. 

Tell  Willie  his  letters  do  me  good  like  a  medicine.  I  am 
glad  he  is  doing  so  well  in  music.  The  ferns  and  maple  leaves 
were  like  the  arrow  that  once  pierced  my  heart. 

Miss  Douw  has  promised  another  hundred  taels  on  the 
church.     The  five  hundred   taels,  payable  in  ten  years,  the 


164  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

man  put  us  at  three  hundred  and  fifty  if  paid  at  once.  We 
have  paid  it,  and  the  place  cost  us  sixteen  hundred  taels. 
Our  plans  will  be  here  in  January,  then  we  can  order  the  chairs. 

December  6th. — You  know  the  memorial  school  is  now  at 
the  Sixth  Street  North  Chapel,  and  not  at  our  premises  at 
Fifth  Street.  It  seemed  best  to  transfer  until  we  could  find  a 
satisfactory  teacher  who  could  reside  at  the  school.  The 
rooms  there  are  rented  and  bring  in  a  little  revenue  for  the 
school. 

We  had  a  good  meeting  last  evening.  Dr.  Reid  spoke  of 
the  toleration  of  the  government  and  the  divisions  of  Christians 
as  though  we  were  all  wrong  and  our  troubles  were  well 
brought  on.  We  did  not  accept  his  ideas,  for  I  recall  how  a 
few  years  ago  he  said  his  first  work  would  be  to  get  the  govern- 
ment to  be  tolerant.  I  mentioned  the  fact  to  him  after  meet- 
ing and  he  smiled  at  his  own  inconsistency.  The  good  news 
of  our  church  at  Owosso  cheers  me. 

Love  from  one  to  all. 

December  13th. — Mr.  Richard  writes  that  he  approves  of  my 
plan  for  a  coalition  of  two  or  three  of  the  numerous  church  pa- 
pers in  China  and  let  one  man  do  what  two  or  three  are  doing, 
and  have  one  respectable  paper  on  which  we  can  all  unite. 
Then  no  one  will  be  specially  burdened  and  there  will  be  a  pa- 
per which  will  be  an  honor  to  the  Church  and  of  general  in- 
terest. 

Miss  Russell  has  just  returned  from  Shun  Yi,  and  is  in  a  glow 
of  enthusiasm  and  good  spirits.  She  was  a  httle  blue  on  going 
away  over  several  lapses  among  the  church-members  of  late, 
but  now  she  sees  that  we  are  not  going  entirely  to  pieces.  I 
took  five  men  on  probation  last  Sunday  and  did  not  know  till 
afterwards  that  one  of  them  was  a  keeper  of  an  opium  den. 
He  told  it  of  himself  and  I  trust  he  will  have  the  courage  to 
abandon  the  business.  I  am  much  pleased  with  the  man,  as  he 
is  clean  looking  and  intelligent.  No  man  has  ever  taken  in 
more  truth  and  committed  it  to  memory  in  the  same  time  than 
this  man. 

A  nice  talk  this  evening  with  Kuo  Feng  Kuan,  who  teaches 
the  boys'  school.  He  and  Miss  Sheffield  are  getting  up  a  pro- 
gram for  Christmas  which  will  be  unique.  It  is  fine  to  find  a 
Chinaman  who  has  some  ideas  of  his  own.  I  am  beginning  to 
feel  that  our  hope  of  permanent  success  must  lie  in  the  coming 
generation  and  the  best  work  is  that  done  with  the  young. 


REFORM,  PKOGRESS,  OMENS  OF  EVIL    165 

Good-bye,  old  sweetheart.  May  roses  spring  up  in  your 
path. 

W.  S.  A. 

Peking,  December  20ih. 

Since  writing  you  last  I  have  taken  a  short  trip  to  Cho  Chou 
and  Liang  Hsiang.  Helper  Tang  wrote  that  there  were  several 
people  desiring  baptism,  and  also  that  Chang  Hsiu  was  to  be 
married,  and  wanted  me  to  perform  the  ceremony.  As  Ewing 
has  returned  from  Pao  Ting  Fu  with  Marion  in  better  health,  I 
rushed  down.  I  had  a  very  pleasant  time,  barring  getting  sick 
with  coal  gas,  so  that  I  was  hardly  able  to  stand  up  on  Sunday 
and  preach.  Three  persons  were  baptized  and  we  had  a  fine 
congregation.  If  some  of  those  Cho  Chou  brethren  do  not  get 
into  heaven  and  wear  a  crown,  I  do  not  think  there  is  any  hope 
for  the  rest  of  us.  On  Monday,  the  Changs  sent  a  cart  for  me, 
an  1  1  attended  their  swell  wedding,  talked  with  the  visitors 
some  time  and  had  an  opportunity  to  meet  men  who  would  not 
otherwise  be  in  my  line. 

Mrs.  Liu  is  the  Bible  woman  at  the  North  Church  and  seems 
happy  in  her  work.  Christmas  is  near  at  hand  and  the  dea- 
cons are  hard  at  work  getting  things  ready  for  the  children. 
We  also  have  a  tea  meeting  and  the  spirit  of  Christmas  is  grow- 
ing in  our  midst. 

Love  to  all. 

Peking,  Dec,  2J,  i8gg. 

A  Merry  Christmas  to  you.  I  hope  you  are  having  as  sweet 
a  time  as  we  are.  I  am  just  out  of  services  which  began  at  9 
A.  M.  Deacons  Wan,  Wen  and  Kuo,  also  Mr.  Ewing,  made 
interesting  remarks  and  the  schoolboys  and  girls  sang  sweetly. 
Our  boys  have  nearly  worked  their  throats  out  in  practicing,  so 
that  they  are  really  not  in  good  condition  for  the  day.  Their 
enthusiasm  is  remarkable.  Still,  yesterday  they  made  them- 
selves disagreeable  as  they  thought  they  were  not  going  to  get 
things  good  enough  to  eat  to-day.  We  are  to  have  great  ex- 
ercises at  one  o'clock  when  the  little  folks  come  to  the  front. 
Mrs.  Ewing  is  a  charming  worker  and  is  most  successful  with 
the  outside  school. 

The  North  Church  have  their  celebration  to-morrow,  and  I 
hear  they  have  made  elaborate  preparations  and  will  have  a 
good  time. 


Whole-hearted  striving  and  wrest- 
ling with  difficulty;  laying  hold  with 
firm  grip  and  resolution,  and  toiling 
to-day,  to-morrow  and  the  next,  until 
the  task  is  done — this  is  the  greed  of 
forward,  ever  forward,  and  the  bigger 
the  work,  the  greater  the  joy  in  doing 
it.  —H.  M.  Stanley. 


XII 

RUMBLINGS  OF  THE  BOXER  EARTHQUAKE 

THE  opening  of  the  "Keng  Tze  Men"  of  the 
Chinese  Cycle  was  ominous  in  the  extreme. 
For  more  than  a  year  the  Ta  Tao  Society  had 
been  nesting  in  the  most  uneasy  corners  of  Shantung, 
somewhat  in  the  east,  and  more  especially  in  the  south- 
west, in  connection  with  disturbances  in  the  northern 
counties  of  Honan.  The  whole  countryside  was  in  a 
state  of  alarm.  There  was  an  active  irruption  in  a 
region  southwest  of  Lin  Ching,  arising  from  the  absorp- 
tion of  a  village  temple  in  the  rebuilding  of  a  Catholic 
church.  So  great  was  the  violence  on  both  sides,  that 
the  provincial  government  sent  out  several  battalions  of 
soldiers  to  force  the  situation.  From  that  time  forward 
there  was  a  steady  rise  of  feeling  against  Christians  of  all 
sorts,  and  the  training  of  bandits  in  hundreds  of  village 
camps.  In  June,  1899,  the  London  Mission  at  Hsiao 
Chang  was  in  great  peril.  In  August  the  German  minis- 
ter was  hurried  away  from  the  seaside  retreat,  Pei  Tai 
Ho,  to  attend  the  hurry  calls  of  the  German  Bishop  An- 
ser.  From  the  12th  of  September  onward  the  American 
Board  station  at  P'ang  Chuang,  Shantung,  found  itself  in 
the  midst  of  tumult,  a  storm  centre  until  the  final  catas- 
trophes in  June.  The  looting  of  the  Protestant  Christian 
villages  began  September  13th,  continuing  through  the 

166 


THE  BOXER  EARTHQUAKE  167 

year  with  increasing  virulence.  The  first  known  use  of 
the  now  well-known  name  ^'Boxers"  was  in  a  telegram 
from  P'ang  Chuang  on  the  18th  of  September  to  Mr. 
Aiken  at  Tientsin  :  ''Secure  immediate  protection  from 
the  attacks  of  the  Boxer  fanatics. ' '  The  governor  of  Shan- 
tung felt  constrained  to  send  a  considerable  force  to  Ping 
Yuan  City  to  watch  the  threatened  movement  of  a  great 
band  of  banditti  that  had  destroyed  one  Protestant  centre. 
A  battle  occurred  on  the  15th  of  October  which  stayed 
the  Boxers  for  a  week  or  two.  When  it  became  known 
that  Yii  Hsien  was  in  full  sympathy  with  the  anti-foreign 
sentiment,  and  perhaps  the  authorities  at  Peking,  the  at- 
tempt to  stay  its  progress  came  to  an  end.  The  move- 
ment then  gathered  impetus  by  passing  into  the  province 
of  Chihli.  Early  in  December  the  excitement  had  reached 
to  the  Roman  Catholic  region  of  Hsien  Hsien.  The  Lon- 
don Mission  station  at  Hsiao  Chang  was  fully  protected 
by  troops  fresh  from  Tientsin,  but  the  outlying  villages, 
even  those  of  the  American  Board  Mission,  were  assaulted 
and  the  members  dispersed.  The  missionaries  were  in- 
cessant in  their  communication  with  the  legation  and 
consular  authorities  at  Peking  and  Tientsin.  Owing  to 
this,  the  governor  of  Shantung  was  replaced  by  the  vig- 
orous and  vigilant  Yuan  Shih  Kai.  He  had  sent  a  large 
body  of  his  well -drilled  cavalry  and  other  troops  to  se- 
cure the  way  for  him.  It  was  not  till  nearly  the  end  of 
December  that  the  seals  of  office  were  transferred  to  him. 
He  was  thus  in  no  way  responsible  for  the  murder  of  Mr. 
Brooks  of  the  Anglican  Mission  December  30th.  The 
chief  culprit  in  the  murder  of  this  lovely  young  mis- 
sionary was  Meng  Kuang  Yen.  He  was  from  the  region 
west  of  P'ang  Chuang  and  on  the  5th  of  December  tried, 
unsuccessfully,  to  induce  one  of  the  Christians  in  that 
region  to  lead  him  to  Pang  Chuang  that  he  might  go  to 
the  mission  quietly  and  destroy  the  missionaries.     He 


168  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

was  told  that  the  station  was  too  well  guarded  and  thafc 
it  was  futile.  Hence  he  hastened  southward  and  meeting 
Mr.  Brooks  wreaked  his  hostility  on  him.  Yuan  Shih 
Kai,  while  greatly  handicapped,  receiving  private  mes- 
sages not  to  pay  attention  to  the  official  orders  to  pre- 
serve quiet  and  order,  exercised  a  fair  restraint  upon  the 
people.  In  an  interview  with  the  missionaries  at  Chi 
Nan  Fu  in  February  it  was  intimated  to  him  that  Tung 
Fu  Hsiang,  the  ruffian  leader  of  the  Mohammedan 
braves,  was  the  idol  of  the  popular  heart,  and  not  him- 
self. He  felt  it  at  the  time,  but  was  helpless  until  his 
opportunity  came.  No  other  missionary  lost  his  life 
during  the  subsequent  months.  But  the  welter  of  de- 
struction swirled  on  to  its  climax. 


Peking,  Jan.  g,  igoo. 
My  dear  Mary  : 

On  Sunday  evening  three  letters  from  you  came  to 
Peking.  It  was  a  great  grist  and  I  did  not  sleep  till  midnight. 
First  there  was  mother's  sickness  to  think  of.  Of  course  I 
learned  that  she  was  better  before  I  was  through.  I  send  you 
the  letter  from  Mr.  Ackerman  showing  how  one  church  is 
praying  for  me.  I  am  glad  to  know  this  fact,  and  am  sending 
them  a  warm  letter.  Week  of  prayer  meetings  is  progressing 
a  little  better  than  usual.  We  also  have  a  daily  evening  meet- 
ing in  our  chapel.  Our  foreign  meetings  are  not  very  lively 
and  could  be  improved.  I  took  part  in  the  meeting  and  told 
how  I  was  moved  by  the  sympathy  of  the  Portland  pastor  and 
suggested  that  we  might  help  each  other  more  and  might  have 
broader  sympathies.  I  had  a  present  of  a  fine  pair  of  scrolls 
given  by  Wang  Yuan  Ch'i,  the  man  who  has  been  in  Germany 
and  whom  I  helped  in  his  extremity.  His  wife  is  trying  to 
leave  off  opium  and  then  they  may  come  to  church.  The 
Boxer  troubles  continue  in  Shantung,  and  our  mission  is  in  a 
state  of  confusion  never  before  known.  A  good  many  chapels 
have  been  looted,  both  Protestant  and  Catholic. 

Your  loving  husband, 

W.  S.  A. 


THE  BOXER  EARTHQUAKE  169 

January  14^  igoo. 
Mrs.  Ewing's  heathen  Sunday-school  is  growing  so  that  we 
have  just  decided  to  transfer  the  regular  Sunday-school  to 
12  :  30  and  give  the  chapel  at  two  o'clock  to  outside  women 
and  children.  I  think  we  shall  have  a  full  house.  I  shall  ask 
Deacon  Wan  to  be  assistant  superintendent.  Dr.  Goodrich 
preached  a  sermon  in  English  this  evening.  We  had  the 
largest  number  of  people  I  have  seen  in  chapel  in  years  and 
the  communion  service  was  a  real  uplift.  Our  natives  are 
raising  a  sum  of  money  for  Shantung  sufferers  from  "Boxers." 
One  man  handed  me  ten  tiao  and  one  three  taels.  There  will 
be  a  good  sum. 

Peking^  Jail.  16,  igoo. 
To  Secretary  Smith  : 

We  must  admit  the  fact  that  the  pressure  from  the 
government  is  wholly  adverse  to  us  and  has  weakened  the 
interest  of  many  of  our  people.  One  or  two  of  our  most  well- 
to-do  members  who  were  Manchus  feel  the  burden  too  heavy 
and  have  practically  left  the  church.  We  greatly  grieve  over 
this,  but  must  face  the  fact.  We  have  had  sixty  additions 
during  the  year  and  our  contributions  from  native  sources  are 
more  than  double  any  previous  year.  Last  year  we  reported 
less  than  ^200,  while  this  year  we  shall  report  the  goodly  sum 
of  ;^5oo.  This  will  include  the  gift  of  two  chapels  and  several 
goodly  sums  for  our  new  church  in  which  the  people  are  deeply 
interested.  Last  evening  our  people  brought  us  seventeen  taels 
to  be  sent  to  P'ang  Chuang  to  help  our  poor  people  who  have 
been  so  persecuted  by  the  secret  societies.  Doubtless  Mr. 
Arthur  Smith  has  written  of  their  trials,  which  awaken  the 
sympathy  of  all.  Mr.  Conger,  the  United  States  minister,  has 
called  me  over  for  consultation  several  times,  and  I  am  certain 
he  has  expended  all  his  resources  in  pushing  the  cause  of  the 
persecuted  people.  But  our  government  does  not  allow  any 
threats  or  strong  measures  to  be  taken  and  the  Chinese  foreign 
office  fears  nothing  but  force.  Their  blindness  to  their  own 
interests  is  something  incomprehensible.  They  have  offended 
all  the  foreign  governments,  and  now  assume  that  because 
England  is  occupied  in  Africa,  there  are  no  claims  to  which 
they  should  pay  attention.  The  palace  is  issuing  almost  con- 
tradictory edicts,  so  we  are  in  ignorance  of  the  real  intentions 
of  the  Empress  Dowager.  You  have  doubtless  heard  of  the 
murder  of  the  English  missionary  Brooks  by  the   "Boxers" 


170  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

near  the  city  of  Tai  An  in  Shantung.  His  head  was  chopped 
off  and  his  body  cut  into  fragments  and  thrown  into  a  ditch. 
He  was  a  young  man  and  had  little  acquaintance  with  the 
people  or  the  language.  The  Chinese  are  quibbling  as  usual, 
but  the  British  minister  cannot  bring  the  pressure  that  is  neces- 
sary. The  Empress  Dowager  seemed  greatly  disturbed  by  this 
dastardly  murder  and  ordered  punishment  of  officials  and  the 
murderers.  But  the  sufferers  from  many  bands  of  freebooters, 
who  now  hunt  our  Christians  like  wild  animals,  receive  no 
sympathy  at  her  hands.  She  says  her  people  have  a  right  to 
practice  military  tactics  for  protection,  and  if  these  people  get  in 
the  way  they  must  expect  to  be  hurt.  It  seems  to  be  the  policy 
of  the  government  and  the  people  of  China  to  make  foreigners 
and  all  connected  with  them  as  miserable  as  possible  in  the 
hopes  that  their  misery  will  drive  them  from  the  country. 
Kang  Yi,  the  notoriously  anti-foreign  official,  is  in  the  ascend- 
ency in  Peking  and  his  influence  is  felt  everywhere.  He  is  one 
of  the  men  who  will  not  ride  on  the  newly  paved  streets  be- 
cause they  smack  of  foreigners.  Another  official,  living  nearly 
opposite  the  French  Legation,  will  not  have  a  huge  pile  of  gar- 
bage removed  because  that  would  spoil  his  Feng  Shui,  or  good 
luck.  My  little  paper  has  had  to  be  refused  at  the  doors  of 
certain  progressive  men  because  they  were  afraid  to  continue 
taking  it.  There  is  not  the  beginning  of  what  might  be  called 
a  party  of  progress  in  Peking  at  the  present  time.  No  reaction 
could  have  been  more  disastrously  successful  than  the  one 
which  began  in  the  autumn  of  1898. 

January f  igoo. 
Dear  Mary  : 

Our  churches  will  make  a  pretty  good  showing  for  last 
year.  Our  contributions  more  than  doubled  and  our  numbers 
would  have  increased,  only  so  many  were  dropped.  I  trust 
our  spiritual  temperature  may  rise  and  we  may  have  a  good 
year  before  us.  Good  news  comes  from  Pao  Ting  Fu  of 
enlargement  of  the  church.  In  fact,  the  outlook  is  not  so  dark 
as  some  would  make  out.  I  nearly  broke  down  in  leading  the 
meeting  on  ''Famihes  and  Schools."  I  spoke  of  the  true 
home  as  indivisible,  though  some  were  in  heaven  and  some  on 
the  other  side  of  the  earth.  The  plans  for  the  new  church  are 
not  here  yet.     I  am  growing  a  little  anxious. 

Your  true  love, 

W.  S.  A. 


THE  BOXER  EARTHQUAKE  171 

Peking^  Jan.  ji,  igoo. 
My  dear  Mary  : 

To-day  is  Chinese  New  Year,  and  I  am  somewhat  the 
worse  for  wear,  having  been  up  till  two  o'clock  last  night. 
First,  1  showed  lantern  pictures  until  lo :  30,  then  we  had  a 
watch-meeting  till  midnight.  About  fifty  people  were  out,  not 
as  many  as  I  had  hoped  for.  Ewing  helped  out  on  the  address. 
He  had  just  come  from  Tung-chow,  having  been  down  to  at- 
tend Pastor  Chang's  funeral.  The  visit  and  service  had  given 
him  a  very  tender  state  of  feeling,  and  he  spoke  with  great 
earnestness  and  effectiveness.  The  death  of  Pastor  Chang 
affects  us  all.  He  was  such  a  fine  man  and  officer.  He  was 
only  thirty-five,  and  leaves  five  children.  The  church  has 
voted  to  give  his  widow  five  tiao  a  month.  He  also  left  a  little 
property,  and  the  family  will  not  be  destitute.  The  Boxers 
are  so  rampant  at  Pao  Ting  Fu  that  the  helpers  think  it  will 
not  be  safe  for  foreigners  to  go  to  the  country.  I  had  a  pleas- 
ant trip  to  Shun  Yi,  east  of  Peking.  The  chapel  was  full  on 
Sunday  and  four  were  taken  into  the  church.  I  found  three 
fine  new  boys  for  the  school. 

P'ang  Chuang,  Jan.  jo,  igoo. 
From  Rev.  Arthur  H.  Smith. 

Dear  Dr.  Ament: — Your  two  short  letters  were  re- 
ceived yesterday  and  made  us  open  our  eyes  with  astonish- 
ment at  the  unexpected  generosity  of  so  many  people.  I  shall 
not  be  able  to  write  to  all  the  friends,  and  indeed  I  do  not 
know  all  their  names,  but  1  shall  be  glad  to  say  for  us  all  that 
they  have  our  most  hearty  thanks  and  they  would  have  had  the 
most  hearty  thanks  of  the  recipients  also,  if  we  had  been  able 
to  let  them  know  who  it  is  that  is  helping  them.  But  the 
beneficiaries  are  scattered  over  a  wide  territory,  many  of  them 
inaccessible  and  some  still  unable  to  get  to  their  homes.  Not 
a  few  of  them  have  lost  everything,  and  others  are  not  so  badly 
off.  As  there  has  been  almost  no  wheat  planted  anywhere  this 
autumn,  the  spring  is  certain  to  be  a  time  of  peculiar  trial  to 
every  one,  and  it  will  be  then  that  the  pinch  of  poverty  will  be 
most  felt.  The  certainty  that  we  shall  be  able  to  do  all  that  it 
would  be  wise  to  do  for  every  one  will  relieve  us  in  a  way. 
The  London  Mission  refugees  are  more  than  twice  as  many  as 
ours,  some  forty,  and  those  in  the  American  Presbyterian  Mis- 
sion at  Chi  Nan  Fu  are  about  one  hundred  families.     Pillage 


17^  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

is  still  going  on,  as  we  heard  only  by  this  mail  a  wealthy 
member  had  just  been  fined  i,ooo  tiao.  Mr.  Hamilton  had 
just  seen  an  Italian  father  who  had  charge  of  the  district  east 
of  the  capital,  who  says  that  about  five  or  six  hundred  families 
had  been  looted  there,  ten  persons  killed  and  fully  five  thou- 
sand made  refugees.  In  vast  regions  of  territory  there  is  not  a 
single  Roman  Catholic  chapel  left,  and  not  a  member  who  has 
not  suffered.  The  days  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  seem  to 
have  returned,  but  there  will  eventually  be  a  blessing  emerging 
from  it  all,  and  even  now  we  see  some  signs  of  it.  To-day  I 
sent  a  man  over  to  the  village  of  Lu  Wang  Chuang  and  they 
came  to  see  what  this  meant  about  money,  never  having  ex- 
perienced such  a  windfall  before.  The  money  is  on  deposit 
here,  and  I  will  try  and  get  a  receipt  when  it  has  been  paid. 
None  of  us  have  been  to  any  outside  village  for  months,  except 
when  I  went  to  a  funeral.  It  is  very  hard  to  say  whether  there 
is  much  improvement  in  the  situation  in  this  province.  It 
seems  to  be  certain  that  the  Empress  and  Tung  Fu  Hsiang  (as 
has  been  confidently  claimed  from  the  start)  are  in  favor  of 
some  kind  of  rising,  and  this  has  made  it  exceedingly  danger- 
ous, as  it  is  still.  We  have  been  confident  from  the  first  that 
the  only  adequate  solution  was  for  "Four  Legations"  to 
unite  pressure,  but  we  do  not  hear  that  two  of  the  four  are 
doing  anything  whatever,  and  the  other  two  are  apparently 
acting  quite  independently.  Even  in  our  own  county  there 
are  blatant  ''camps"  of  Boxers,  after  the  publication  of  the 
most  severe  proclamations,  the  issue  of  a  history  of  similar 
risings  to  every  village,  and  the  despatch  of  men  from  the 
magistrate  to  forbid  all  practice  of  the  drill,  and  ordering  the 
instant  and  complete  abandonment  of  the  whole  business.  But 
as  yet  no  one  is  punished,  or  very  few.  It  seems  still  to  be 
thought  to  be  a  huge  joke. 

Peking,  Feb.  7,  igoo. 
My  dear  Wife  : 

I  must  have  a  little  talk  with  you  to-night.  I  am  in- 
clined to  discouragement,  owing  to  the  devil  having  such  a 
swing  in  and  about  us. 

The  burden  of  keeping  up  a  spiritual  tone  in  this  compound 
is  a  heavy  one  and  Ewing  has  been  away  a  good  deal  and  has 
not  felt  the  responsibility,  nor  should  he  do  so.  We  need  bet- 
ter material  in  the  front  chapel,  and  I  hope  we  shall  have  it 


THE  BOXER  EARTHQUAKE  173 

when  the  two  fine  fellows,  Li  Pen  Yuan  and  Wang  Wen  Shun, 
come  from  Tung-chow.  Li  Pen  Yuan  seems  to  have  a  real 
spirit  of  the  pastor  and  all  speak  well  of  Wang  Wen  Shun. 
They  should  be  towers  of  strength. 

A  letter  from  Smith  last  evening  seems  to  indicate  that  the 
troubles  in  Shantung  are  by  no  means  settled  and  that  the  offi- 
cials are  as  inefficient  as  ever.  It  seems  true  that  the  encourage- 
ment comes  from  the  palace  in  Peking  and  every  official  who 
stands  out  for  the  Chinese  as  against  foreigners  is  promoted. 
The  Germans  took  up  their  own  case  and  gave  the  yamen  five 
days  ultimatum  to  settle  matters,  otherwise  their  soldiers  from 
Chiao  Chou  would  settle  it  for  them.  There  was  no  delay 
then. 

Well,  the  Church  News  is  given  up  and  I  shall  be  free.  I 
shall  be  careful  to  keep  out  of  such  entanglements.  You  may 
expect  to  hear  of  me  as  at  Cho  Chou  or  some  country  station 
about  half  the  time.  Then  too  I  shall  be  seriously  trying  to 
translate  a  few  more  chapters  from  Dr.  Gladden's  book,  <' Rul- 
ing Ideas."  Still  it  is  better  to  write  a  book  on  the  hearts  of 
men  than  on  paper  ! 

Pekingy  Feb.  27,  igoo. 
My  dear  Mary  : 

You  may  recall  that  this  was  the  fateful  day  when  our 
beloved  Emily  left  us  years  ago.  This  month  always  seems  as 
the  very  consummation  of  cold,  dreary  winter  weather,  since 
those  days  when  our  hearts  were  dragged  out  of  us  and 
deposited  in  the  cemetery.  It  seems  sometimes  as  though  I 
couldn't  wait  to  solve  the  mystery  of  the  Beyond  and  rejoin 
those  on  the  other  side  who  are  almost  as  numerous  as  those  on 
this. 

1  am  just  beginning  the  agonies  of  moving  again.  It  will 
take  considerable  time  to  get  things  into  shape  and  I  begrudge 
the  time.  The  plans  for  the  chapel  have  not  come  and  we  will 
start  in  next  week  on  our  own  plans.  I  have  just  seen  Mateer 
and  he  will  have  the  floor  plans  ready  to  make  out  the  order  for 
the  Grand  Rapids  chairs  in  a  few  days. 

Pekingy  March  Si  igoo. 
To  Mrs.  Ament  : 

To-morrow  I  am  going  to  Tientsin  to  give  my  lecture  on 
"King  Alfred  and  the  Making  of  England,"     I  shall  remain 


174  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

several  days  and  have  a  little  outing.  After  that  I  shall  return 
and  go  to  Cho  Chou  for  a  month.  Perhaps  Gammon  will  go 
with  me.  Our  school  has  got  up  to  twenty-seven  boys  and  still 
they  come  and  we  seem  to  have  room  for  them,  though  I 
thought  we  should  be  crowded  with  eighteen.  The  Methodists 
have  been  having  very  successful  revival  meetings.  Pyke  has 
gone  home  tired  out.  Work  has  begun  on  our  chapel  and  Mateer 
will  give  me  order  for  chairs  for  this  mail.  We  order  only  350 
now,  as  we  think  it  better  to  go  slowly  and  contract  no  debt. 
The  memorial  school  is  prosperous  and  so  is  the  North  Chapel 
work.  It  removes  quite  a  load  off  my  mind.  The  Boxers  have 
reached  Pa  Chou  and  Wen  An.  At  our  request  the  gov- 
ernor sent  down  a  deputy  to  investigate.  It  will  do  much  to  re- 
assure the  minds  of  the  church-members. 

March  9,  1900. — Just  back  from  Tientsin.  Had  a  good  time. 
I  had  a  fair  audience  though  the  wind  was  blowing  a  hurricane 
down  the  Taku  road.  That  frightened  away  most  of  the 
Chinese.  I  brought  home  the  plans  as  worked  over  by  Mr. 
Bellingham,  the  architect  at  Tientsin. 

You  will  be  pleased  that  at  Tung-chow  they  are  in  the  midst 
of  a  gracious  revival.  Li  Pen  Yuan  has  come  up  here  and 
hopes  to  take  back  with  him  all  the  old  students  and  hopes  they 
may  be  filled  with  the  Spirit.  Some  of  the  schoolboys  have 
made  remarkable  confession  of  sins,  such  as  resolving  not  to 
have  anything  to  do  with  the  rehgious  life  of  the  college  and  in- 
fluencing others  to  do  the  same.  The  ground  seems  thoroughly 
broken  up. 

Pekingy  March  77,  igoo. 
My  dear  Wife  : 

Back  from  Shun  Yi,  with  that  affair  amicably  settled. 
I  think  the  Chinese  all  approve  of  what  I  did.  It  was  bitterly 
cold  and  I  have  not  suffered  more  this  winter.  Last  evening 
Major  Conger  read  a  paper  before  the  missionary  association 
on  "A  Layman's  View  of  the  Work."  It  was  appreciative 
and  sympathetic.  He  suggested  more  union  for  political  pur- 
poses and  more  care  about  getting  into  trouble  and  appealing 
to  the  yamens.  He  thought  our  work  successful  and  worthy 
the  support  of  the  churches. 

The  people  in  Wen  An  and  Pa  Chou  are  greatly  disturbed 
about  the  Boxers  who  are  organized  in  their  districts  and  I 
asked  Mr.  Conger  about  the  advisability  of  my  going  down  and 


THE  BOXER  EARTHQUAKE  175 

comforting  the  Christians  and  seeing  if  I  could  not  allay  the 
rumors  somewhat.  He  told  me  he  thought  it  safe  to  go,  ad- 
vised caution,  and  thought  a  visit  from  me  might  do  more  than 
the  officials.  1  asked  Mr.  Stelle  if  he  did  not  want  to  go  with 
me  and  he  jumped  at  the  chance.  I  am  glad  to  have  his  com- 
panionship, taking  him  to  be  a  brave  and  judicious  man.  I  am 
writing  a  letter  to  the  Fu  (prefect)  magistrate  in  Peking  telling 
him  that  I  am  about  to  visit  the  distant  portions  of  his  field  and 
requesting  him  to  inform  his  subordinates,  so  that  they  can  be 
of  assistance  if  necessary.  I  do  not  anticipate  trouble.  I  am 
well  acquainted  there  and  our  people  have  a  good  reputation 
for  order  and  decency.  I  hope  to  go  to  the  extreme  limits  of 
our  field  and  comfort  the  members  and  cheer  them  in  their 
faith. 

The  Tung-chow  revivals  are  going  on  with  renewed  power 
and  Tewksbury  writes  that  he  wants  our  people  to  come  down 
and  stay  over  Sunday.  I  trust  they  will  come  back  filled  with 
the  Spirit  and  on  fire  for  souls. 

April  3d. — The  meetings  are  over.  Miss  Andrews  has 
gone,  but  I  trust  not  the  results  of  her  interpretation  of  the 
Spirit-filled  life.  I  do  hope  and  pray  that  our  people  will  not 
slump  back  to  where  they  were  before.  Mr.  Mateer  is  in  for  a 
run  of  fever. 

Peking  J  April  10,  igoo. 
To  Secretary  Smith  : 

The  happenings  during  the  last  two  months  have  been 
many  and  interesting.  I  must  first  mention  our  meetings,  which 
have  been  of  unusual  power.  During  the  Chinese  New  Year  I 
invited  two  young  students,  warm-hearted  and  ardent  Chris- 
tians from  Tientsin,  to  come  to  Peking  and  assist  in  a  few  meet- 
ings. They  proved  to  be  men  of  considerable  spiritual  power 
and  wisdom.  They  were  not  puffed  up  with  that  spiritual 
pride  which  some  possess  on  leaving  the  rudiments  and  reach- 
ing out  after  the  best  things  in  the  Christian  life.  We  held 
three  meetings  a  day  for  eight  days  when  I  totally  gave  out,  as 
I  had  to  interpret  for  one  of  the  students  who  was  a  Cantonese. 
After  that  the  Methodist  people  had  meetings  of  great  power  in 
their  mission.  The  sacred  fire  was  communicated  to  Tung- 
chow  and  something  never  witnessed  before  took  place.  That 
was  a  breaking  down  of  those  students  under  the  power  of  the 
spirit  in  a  way  which  indicates  its  reality.     Men  long  alienated 


11Q  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

were  brought  together  and  sins  confessed  which  had  been 
stumbUng-blocks  for  years.  The  whole  school  was  stirred  to 
its  depths.  After  two  weeks  of  splendid  meetings  the  students 
went  ouf  to  the  neighboring  stations  and  held  meetijigs  with  the 
native  Christians  and  proved  what  I  have  long  hoped  for,  that 
natives  without  foreign  aid  can  co?iduct,  wisely  and  welly 
revival  meetings.  Our  stations  of  Chou  Chou  and  Shun  Yi  were 
greatly  helped  in  this  way.  Our  two  young  men  who  grad- 
uate from  the  Seminary  this  spring,  I  feel  assured,  will  come  to 
us  with  added  power  and  helpfulness.  There  was  not  a  large 
ingathering  from  outsiders  except  in  Tung-chow,  where  there  was 
a  goodly  company  waiting  as  a  result  of  their  medical  work. 
The  whole  movement  only  shows  in  newer  light  the  capability 
of  the  Chinese  to  receive  spiritual  impressions  and  the  adapta- 
tion of  our  glorious  religion  to  all  their  needs. 

All  this  time  the  Boxers  were  harrying  our  country  regions, 
and  as  the  meetings  closed  messengers  began  coming  in  numbers 
informing  us  of  the  growth  of  the  movement  and  the  urgent 
need  of  help.  After  consulting  our  minister,  Mr.  Conger,  I  de- 
cided to  go  down  to  these  regions  and  see  for  myself  just  what 
the  condition  was.  I  could  find  no  colleague,  till  finally  Mr. 
Stelle,  of  the  "  Mission  to  the  Higher  Classes,"  a  brave,  chiv- 
alric  young  man,  consented  to  go.  After  we  had  boarded 
the  train  for  Cho  Chou  a  letter  was  handed  me  from  Mr. 
Conger  which  practically  recalled  the  encouragement  he  had 
given  and  threw  the  responsibility  on  us.  After  putting  our 
hands  to  the  plough  we  could  not  turn  back.  The  Cho  Chou 
official  had  magnified  his  office  and  had  succeeded  well  in 
keeping  the  Boxers  out  of  his  district. 

Fifteen  miles  beyond  atP'ing  Ting  we  found  the  people  in 
the  throes  of  the  well-cleaning  craze.  It  was  reported  that  the 
wells  had  been  poisoned  by  the  Christians  and  they  all  had  to 
be  cleaned  out.  Having  been  a  very  dry  season,  this  wasting 
of  a  large  quantity  of  good  water  will  be  a  serious  matter.  Our 
enemies  had  thrown  little  packages  of  purported  medicine  into 
the  wells.  They  also  claimed  that  they  alone  had  antidotes  to 
this  poison  and  sold  their  medicine  in  great  quantities  to  the 
deluded  people  and  reaped  large  gains  thereby.  The  people 
were  greatly  excited  and  we  were  repeatedly  warned  not  to 
proceed.  Five  miles  from  P'ing  Ting  we  came  to  a  large  fair 
and  were  surrounded  by  hundreds  of  people.  They  seemed 
anxious  to  know  whether  or  not  we  v/ere  Catholics.     On  assur- 


THE  BOXER  EARTHQUAKE  1Y7 

ing  them  that  we  were  Protestants  they  became  friendly.  This 
movement,  if  it  does  nothing  else,  will  teach  the  people  the 
difference  between  the  Romanists  and  ourselves. 

Proceeding  to  Nan  Meng  where  Pastor  Hung  is,  we  were 
informed  that  the  Boxers  had  been  invited  to  that  market  town 
and  were  in  the  first  stages  of  enthusiasm.  We  looked  well  to 
our  firearms  (very  modest  revolvers)  as  we  had  no  desire  to  be 
put  out  of  the  way  as  poor  Brooks  was  by  cowards  who  would 
run  from  a  pop-gun.  Here  we  passed  a  camp  of  Boxers  who 
caine  out  and  stared  at  us,  starting  the  report  that  we  were  the 
advanced  guard  of  a  large  army,  and  that  accounted  for  our 
boldness.  We  found  most  of  our  Christians,  including  the 
pastor,  in  a  pitiable  state  of  fright,  and  they  assured  us  that  we 
should  certainly  be  killed  if  we  did  not  leave  immediately. 
The  pastor  had  already  sent  away  his  family. 

Going  southward  we  reached  Pao  Ting  Hsien  and  found  the 
Christians  in  nearly  the  same  state  of  fright,  thank  heaven  not 
all  of  them.  Men  with  knives  and  guns  had  come  to  their 
doors  and  reviled  but  no  one  had  been  hurt  as  yet.  We  spent 
the  Sabbath  here  and  they  and  the  helper  begged  us  to  go  no 
further.  Many  Boxers  were  returning  from  the  battle-field  in 
Jen  Chiu  where  they  had  been  defeated  by  the  Romanists  and 
imperial  soldiers.  Dead  men  were  carried  past  us  and  some 
wounded.  At  least  one  thousand  Boxers  had  gathered  at  a 
place  called  Liang  Cho  to  exterminate  the  Catholics.  A  hun- 
dred soldiers  had  been  sent  to  calm  them  down  but  they  were 
afraid  of  the  Boxers  and  refused  to  fight.  About  seventy  Cath- 
olics were  behind  their  walls.  They  had  good  guns  and  when 
the  Boxers  with  no  guns,  only  swords  and  spears,  came  on,  the 
Catholics  shot  them  down.  The  Boxers  seemed  devil-possessed 
and  did  not  know  what  they  were  doing,  going  up  to  the  walls 
and  hacking  at  them  with  their  swords.  The  brave  soldiers, 
seeing  that  the  Boxers  were  not  really  impervious  to  bullets, 
took  a  hand  in  shooting  after  the  Catholics  had  gained  the 
victory.  The  i,ooo  Boxers  scattered  taking  their  dead  and 
wounded  with  them.  Many  were  discouraged  and  asked  what 
good  it  was  to  go  out  and  get  injured  with  no  one  to  look  after 
their  families  or  repay  them  their  losses. 

We  went  on  to  Wen  An  still  nearer  the  battle-field  and  found 
four  persons  who  were  brave  enough  to  accept  baptism  and 
enter  the  churchy  having  been  probationers  for  some  time.  The 
little  chapel  just  outside  of  the  city  of  Wen  An  had  been  brick- 


178  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

batted  by  some  Boxers  on  a  previous  night,  but  no  special  in- 
jury had  been  done.  The  official  punished  three  men  for  com- 
pHcity  in  the  attack  and  the  window  was  repaired.  No  injury 
was  done  us  here  though  Boxers  abounded. 

Returning  to  Nan  Meng  we  found  that  in  the  village  of  Sha 
Cheng  a  prominent  Christian  was  about  to  renounce  his  Chris- 
tianity and  pay  a  blackmail  to  the  Boxers,  a  camp  of  over 
eighty  being  in  his  village.  We  planned  to  visit  this  village 
though  begged  not  to  do  so.  This  was  a  greater  risk  than  we 
had  yet  run.  The  Boxers  were  practicing  in  their  camp  at  one 
end  of  the  village  while  we  were  exposing  them  on  the  other. 
They  thought  this  was  incongruous  *  and  sent  word  that  we 
were  to  be  caught  and  bound.  We  showed  the  messengers  our 
weapons  and  told  them  we  preferred  not  to  be  bound  that  day. 
We  spent  the  afternoon  there,  receiving  several  messages,  but 
came  away  unhurt.  We  did  not  prevent  this  weak  brother 
from  paying  his  mulct  but  we  did  brace  up  his  two  sons  who 
said  they  would  die  rather  than  recant.  Though  we  have  a 
very  good  list  of  the  Lapsi,  as  they  were  called  in  North  Africa 
in  the  days  of  Cyprian,  yet  we  were  encouraged  that  there  are 
so  many  who  have  been  true  to  the  end  and  sometimes  it  has 
been  a  bitter  end. 

We  breathed  a  little  easier  after  leaving  this  region,  though  it 
was  a  grief  to  leave  the  Christians  to  be  still  harassed  by  their 
enemies.  We  reached  home  in  safety  and  Mr.  Conger  was 
very  glad  of  the  reliable  information  we  could  give  as  to  the 
unworthiness  of  the  officials  and  the  spread  of  the  movement. 
Within  two  days  a  strong  protest  had  been  sent  to  the  Tsung 
Li  Yamen  demanding  greater  activity  on  the  part  of  the  offi- 
cials in  stopping  the  persecutions  of  the  Christians. 

Dr.  Coltman  yesterday  pronounced  Mr.  Mateer's  sickness 
Bright's  disease  and  thinks  there  is  little  hope  of  his  recovery. 
Mr.  Gait  is  up  from  Tung-chow  assisting  in  the  care  of  the  sick 
man.  The  building  of  the  new  church  is  temporarily  sus- 
pended but  if  Mr.  Mateer  does  not  recover  we  must  proceed  at 
any  rate.  The  walls  are  raised  about  six  feet.  It  will  make 
a  fine  building  and  will  be  the  Protestant  cathedral  of  the  city. 
At  least  that   was  the  remark  made  by  a  professor  in  the  Im- 

*  I  regard  this  as  a  most  important  document  revealing  the  man  as  al- 
most no  other  letter  does.  The  final  paragraph  written  in  the  face  of 
facts  given  above  shows  his  unquenchable  optimism. — M.  P.  A. 


THE  BOXER  EARTHQUAKE  1Y9 

perial  University  yesterday.     I  trust  it  will  be  a  centre  of  help- 
ful influences  to  all  within  the  radius  of  its  light. 

As  to  the  Boxers  I  am  convinced  that  all  reports  from  native 
sources  must  be  discounted  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  per  cent, 
in  order  to  get  near  the  truth.  I  think  some  foreigners  have 
done  much  harm  by  stirring  up  our  legation  by  testimony 
wholly  from  native  sources.  It  cannot  be  relied  on.  It  is  al- 
ways overdrawn.  The  Boxer  bubble  is  practically  burst,  and 
the  officials  have  understood  the  movement  from  the  beginning 
better  than  the  foreigners  have.  Prof.  G.  F.  Wright  is  ex- 
pected here  in  a  few  weeks.  We  shall  be  glad  to  see  him. 
Also  Dr.  F.  E.  Clark  to  represent  the  Endeavor  movement. 


I  like  the  man  who  faces  what  he  must 

With  heart  triumphant  and  a  step  of  cheer, 

"Who  fights  the  daily  battle  without  fear ; 

Sees  his  hope  fail,  yet  keeps  unfaltering  trust 

That  God  is  God.     He  alone  is  great 
Who  by  a  life  heroic  conquers  fate. 

— tiarah  K.  Bolton. 

xni 

THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  STORM 

THE  illness  of  Mr.  Johu  Mateer  became  increas- 
ingly ominous  about  the  middle  of  April.  The 
doctor  gave  little  hope  of  his  recovery.  On  the 
twenty -third  of  the  month,  Mr.  Ament  writes  of  his  death 
after  five  weeks  of  suffering.  ''He  talked  beautifully 
and  the  spirit  of  heaven  was  about  him.^^ 

On  the  30th  of  April,  a  Christian  Endeavor  convention 
was  held  in  Peking.  Dr.  Francis  E.  Clark,  with  his  wife 
and  son,  were  present.  It  was  Mr.  Ament' s  privilege  to 
do  much  of  the  interpretation  into  Chinese  for  Dr.  Clark, 
both  at  Peking  and  Tientsin.  At  the  convention  held  in 
Tientsin,  Dr.  Ament  was  elected  president  of  the  North 
China  Christian  Endeavor  Union. 

Early  in  May  Prof.  G.  F.  Wright  of  Oberlin  passed 
through  Peking.  He  preached  on  Sunday,  May  6th,  and 
went  on  next  day  to  Kalgan.  Dr.  Clark  had  paid  a  visit 
to  Pao  Ting  Fu  and  had  returned. 

"The  Boxer  Bubble'^  of  which  Dr.  Ament  had  for- 
merly written  refused  to  burst  at  the  touch  of  any  diplo- 
matic wizard.  On  the  first  of  May,  he  writes,  ''The 
Boxers  are  becoming  a  serious  menace  in  all  North  China. 
A  spark  might  stir  up  a  mighty  conflagration." 

Peking,  May  ip,  igoo. 
My  dear  Mary  : 

Back  from  another  Boxer  excursion  and  my  report  to 
Mr.  Conger   was  at  the  Tsung  Li  Yamen  in  less  than  an  hour, 

180 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  STORM       181 

and  produced,  according  to  Mr.  Conger,  an  impression  which 
will  lead  to  some  movement.  In  fact  the  Boxers  are  assuming 
large  proportions  and  taking  defiant  attitudes,  so  that  the  gov- 
ernment is  finally  frightened.  In  Cho  Chou  many  Catholics 
have  been  killed  and  chopped  to  pieces.  At  Kung  Ts'un,  ten 
miles  from  Cho  Chou,  two  Protestants  were  killed  and  thrown 
into  the  river.     They  were  London  Mission  people. 

At  Cho  Chou  we  found  the  official  in  such  a  state  of  fright 
because  we  were  alone  in  the  chapel.  He  asked  as  a  personal 
favor  that  we  leave  at  once.  When  we  called  upon  him  in  the 
evening  he  did  not  dare  to  have  us  leave  by  the  front  way,  so 
we  returned  to  the  chapel  by  way  of  his  kitchen  and  horse  sheds. 
We  were  told  that  there  were  three  hundred  Boxers  in  the  north 
suburb  who  had  just  returned  from  chopping  up  four  Catholics 
only  ten  li  distant. 

In  the  region  of  Huai  Lai,  fifty  li  beyond,  sixty-one  Catho- 
lics had  been  killed  and  we  learned  in  the  morning  that  troops 
had  passed  en  route  to  that  place,  as  usual  in  China,  reaching 
the  place  after  the  people  had  been  killed  and  the  Boxers  had 
scattered.  I  learn  that  in  nearly  every  instance  where  the 
people  have  been  killed,  it  is  because  of  some  old  grudge.  It 
is  showing  people  the  value  of  a  good  reputation.  Even  the 
London  Mission  chapel-keeper  was  killed,  it  is  said,  because 
he  had  used  too  strong  words  concerning  the  Boxers.  Stelle 
and  1  left  the  next  morning  as  we  could  do  nothing  and  might 
make  matters  worse  for  our  people  who  are  in  hiding. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  mission  was  held  as  usual  at 
Tung-chow.  The  missionaries  from  Shantung,  perhaps 
unconscious  of  the  perils  en  route,  had  safely  arrived. 
Miss  Gertrude  Wyckoff,  detained  at  Tientsin,  had  seen  a 
stranger  at  the  Feng  Tai  station.  Later  it  was  known 
that  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hodge  were  those  she  had  seen,  and 
they  were  en  route  for  Pao  Ting  Fu.  Their  friends  had 
not  forewarned  them.  Four  days  later  rail  communica- 
tion with  Pao  Ting  Fu  was  cut  off. 

Tung-chow,  May  2g,  igoo. 
My  dear  Mary  : 

Our  meetings  are  going  on  nicely,  but  outside  affairs 
seem  to  be  going  from   bad  to  worse.     Miss  Russell  sends  a 


182  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

messenger  to  say  that  Feng  Tai,  the  nearest  station,  has  been 
burned  and  one  foreigner  has  escaped  to  Peking,  being  badly 
cut.  Thousands  of  Boxers  are  nearing  Peking  and  it  is  said 
the  telegraph  wires  have  been  cut.  I  am  not  certain  that  this 
letter  will  reach  you  as  the  mail  did  not  go  last  evening.  Three 
Methodist  families  have  been  murdered  near  Pa  Chou  only 
twenty  li  from  our  station  at  Nan  Meng.  Mr.  Pitkin  writes 
from  Pao  Ting  Fu  that  he  dares  not  come  and  leave  the  station. 
I  preached  the  annual  sermon  last  Sunday  in  Chinese,  and 
Mr.  Smith  took  me  aside  after  it  and  told  me  how  much  he 
enjoyed  my  preaching.  It  was  a  new  sermon  on  Isaiah  vi. : 
"The  vision  of  God  and  its  effects."  The  foreign  ministers 
have  a  meeting  in  Peking  to-day  to  take  measures  to  compel 
the  yamen  to  wake  up  to  the  situation.  We  await  the  result 
with  some  anxiety.  Only  God  knows  what  is  in  the  immediate 
future.  A  slight  rain  will  do  some  good  and  if  God  would 
send  a  copious  shower  it  might  do  more  than  armies.  We 
shall  have  a  splendid  addition  to  our  preaching  force  in  Li  Pen 
Yuan  and  Wang  Wen  Shun.  They  are  both  in  good  spirits  and 
harmonious  with  my  general  ideas  of  work.  Fen  Ch'i,  one  of 
our  boys,  died  last  night.     Too  much  study,  too  little  exercise. 

Tung- chow f  June  i,  igoo. 
Dear  Mary  : 

I  have  so  driven  during  this  week  of  meetings  that  I 
could  not  find  time  to  write  to  you.  We  are  still  untouched 
by  the  fiends  in  human  shape,  as  these  Boxers  are  proving  them- 
selves to  be.  The  Tao  Tai  has  sent  soldiers  to  guard  the  col- 
lege. They  were  a  sorry  lot  and  brought  no  guns,  saying  they 
proposed  to  persuade  the  Boxers  to  leave  us  alone  if  they  came. 

It  seemed  quite  certain  that  we  were  singled  out  for  attack 
once  or  twice,  and  Roberts  and  I  were  appointed  to  go  into 
the  city  and  help  protect  our  place.  The  Chinese  were  in  a 
great  fright  and  something  must  be  done. 

Our  Peking  field  has  been  badly  harried  by  the  enemy  and 
God  only  knows  when  our  work  will  ever  get  into  shape  again. 
Our  Nan  Meng  people  are  pouring  into  Peking  and  our  people 
are  practically  refugees  everywhere. 

Foreign  soldiers  are  now  in  Peking  to  the  number  of  three 
hundred;  more  are  ready  to  come  unless  the  yamen  moves 
quickly.  The  foreign  ministers  did  not  leave  the  yamen  until 
2  A.  M.  on  Thursday,  working  to  get  permission  for  soldiers  to 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  STORM       183 

be  sent,  and  finally  saying  that  soldiers  will  be  sent  whether 
we  get  permission  or  not.  Then  the  railroad  refused  to  take 
the  soldiers  and  they  were  coming  by  boat,  but  finally  the  rail- 
road gave  in  and  there  was  no  special  opposition  in  Peking. 
The  Boxers  are  evidently  preparing  for  some  large  move  and 
no  one  can  predict  what  is  in  the  immediate  future.  Our 
chapel  in  Nan  Meng  is  now  a  Boxer  encampment  and  perhaps 
Cho  Chou  is  in  the  same  condition,  as  we  have  heard  nothing 
for  a  week  or  so. 

We  have  had  very  pleasant  meetings  this  year.  I  never  en- 
joyed an  annual  meeting  more.  Perhaps  it  is  in  part  because 
I  have  had  so  little  to  do,  being  only  on  the  devotional  com- 
mittee. Every  one  seems  in  a  serious  state  of  mind  and  heart, 
and  the  Boxers  may  sweep  us  all  out  of  existence. 

Four  p.  M.,  Saturday,  June  2d. — Terrible  news  has  come  in 
from  Nan  Meng  of  the  murder  of  Catholic  Christians  and  the 
looting  of  the  homes  of  several  of  our  people.  They  do  not 
seem  to  be  so  incensed  against  the  Protestants  as  against  the 
Catholics,  and  do  not  kill  our  people  except  in  special  cases, 
where  they  resist,  or  have  enemies. 

Sunday  evening,  June  3d. — We  have  had  a  quiet  day. 
Tewksbury  and  Ingram  went  to  Peking  to  see  Mr.  Conger  and 
see  if  anything  can  be  done  to  protect  the  people  in  Kalgan, 
also  to  see  if  an  escort  could  be  provided  for  Roberts  who  has 
received  a  telegram  from  Sprague  which  said  "Boxers  threaten- 
ing. Roberts  come  quick."  I  think  we  shall  get  through  with 
our  business  to-morrow  so  that  I  can  go  to  Peking  on  Tuesday. 
I  suppose  our  hill  houses  are  in  danger  and  the  Ingram  house 
has  been  robbed.  The  United  States  flag  is  flying  from  the 
Tewksbury  house  in  this  yard.  Some  think  it  will  do  more 
harm  than  good.  It  looks  a  little  defiant,  as  though  we  were 
a  kingdom  inside  China.  Of  course  that  is  one  of  the  charges 
they  make. 

Tewksbury  and  Ingram  are  back.  No  foreign  soldiers  can 
come  to  Tung-chow.  Thirty  engineers  at  Pao  Ting  Fu  started 
for  Tientsin  by  boat  and  seven  are  missing.  They  had  a  terri- 
ble time  and  many  are  wounded.  Cossacks  have  been  sent  to 
bring  in  the  missing  men,  if  they  can  be  found.  Thousands 
of  Boxers  are  gathering  at  Cho  Chou,  and  say  they  are  going 
to  march  on  Peking  and  Tung-chow,  then  Tientsin,  till  all  for- 
eigners are  gone.  No  foreign  government  seems  to  want  to 
take  a  hand  in  the  affairs  of  China.     A  telegram  from  Wash- 


184  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

ington  has  come  inquiring  for  Mr.  Horace  T.  Pitkin.     It  is 
our  Pitkin  who  is  safe  (sic !)  at  Pao  Ting  Fu. 

We  celebrated  the  Lord's  Supper  this  evening,  and  our  hearts 
and  minds  were  soothed  by  coming  in  contact  with  the  pure 
soul  of  Christ.  The  aroma  of  His  hfe  seemed  to  fill  the  room 
and  for  a  moment  the  sounds  and  turmoil  of  this  world  were 
lost  in  the  growing  glory  of  Christ.  We  have  a  refuge  here, 
which  none  can  invade  and  we  are  safe  in  Him.  Do  not  be 
anxious  about  me. 


These  were  anxious  days  in  America  for  those  having 
friends  iu  North  China.  Mrs.  Ament  had  gone  to  Oberlin 
to  consult  with  others  who  were  as  anxious  as  herself. 
The  missionaries  who  fled  from  Pei  Tai  Ho  arrived 
safely  at  Chefoo.  A  telegram  purporting  to  come  from 
Eev.  Fred  Brown  at  Chefoo  mentioned  Mr.  Ament  as 
having  arrived  there.  The  mistake  was  made  by  in- 
cluding Dr.  Ament' s  name  in  the  list  of  those  who 
escaped.  Mr.  Brown  left  Peking  on  the  early  train 
June  4ihy  the  last  train  before  the  destruction  of  the  rail- 
road, after  which  it  was  impossible  to  withdraw.  A 
party  of  refugees  in  Shantung  reached  Chefoo  on  the 
4th  of  July.  A  cable  arrived  the  next  day  asking  for 
news  regarding  Dr.  Ament,  Professor  Wright  and  others. 
The  answer  to  this  was  :  ''Ament  and  Whiting  still  in 
Peking;  Professor  Wright  on  his  way  through  Man- 
churia." 

British  Legation,  Peking,  July  jo,  igoo. 
Dear  Mary  : 

I  did  not  write  you  for  weeks  after  beginning  this,  as  1 
never  had  a  quiet  spot  in  which  to  write.  Where  shall  I  begin 
and  what  shall  I  write?  You  will  hardly  believe  that  it  is  now 
just  forty  days  since  we  have  been  shut  up  in  this  legation 
with  no  communication  with  the  outside  world.  I  can  hardly 
remember  when  I  wrote  last  to  you.  It  must  have  been  some 
time  early  in  June.  I  have  been  dreaming  for  a  month  or 
more.     Let  me  go  back  to  the  beginning.     Mission  meeting 


■If      IWr 


■^ 


MEMORIAL  ARCH   TO   VON   KETTELER 
MENG  CHI  TSENG  AND  FAMILY 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  STORM        185 

closed  June  4th.  The  following  day,  Tuesday,  I  went  to 
Peking,  but  many  of  the  ladies  did  not  dare  leave  because  of 
the  Boxer  troubles.  They  were  murdering  and  burning  only 
ten  or  more  miles  from  Tung- chow.  On  Thursday  there  came 
a  strong  telegram  to  Mr.  Conger  saying  that  the  people  in 
Tung-chow  were  in  great  danger  and  requesting  an  escort  of 
marines  to  bring  them  to  Peking.  They  also  wanted  twenty 
carts.  Mr.  Conger  did  not  feel  as  though  he  could  spare  the 
marines  as  he  had  so  small  a  force.  So  I  hired  fifteen  carts, 
borrowed  a  double-barrelled  shotgun  of  AUardyce  and  went  as 
escort  to  the  carts,  as  otherwise  they  would  not  have  gone. 
We  reached  Tung-chow  in  safety  about  11  p.  m.  and  left  Friday 
before  daybreak.  We  reached  Peking  about  eight  o'clock  and 
went  to  the  Methodist  Mission,  as  that  was  the  appointed 
rendezvous  for  Protestant  missionaries.  The  college  premises 
at  Tung-chow  as  well  as  the  city  residences  were  left  without  a 
soul  in  them.  It  looked  like  deserting  a  sacred  trust  and  I 
offered  to  go  back,  and  stay  alone  to  defend  them,  but  they  all 
protested  and  we  left  the  property  to  its  fate.  On  the  following 
day  the  houses  were  looted  by  Chinese  soldiers  from  Tung- chow 
— not  Boxers — and  were  burned  soon  after  by  Boxers.  So  went 
up  in  smoke  those  beautiful  buildings  erected  at  so  much  ex- 
pense of  time,  money  and  love. 

In  Peking  our  poor  Christians  began  to  pour  in  from  the 
country  stations.  Deacon  Liu  of  Cho  Chou  came  with  a  broken 
kneepan,  as  in  running  from  the  Boxers  he  had  fallen  from 
the  Cho  Chou  wall  and  broken  his  knee.  A  Tung-chow  helper 
was  brought  with  half  his  face  and  hands  dreadfully  burned. 
Mr.  Conger  sent  to  the  Methodist  enclosure  twenty  marines  to 
act  as  guard  and  Mr.  Gamewell  set  to  work  to  fortify  the 
premises.  Our  people  moved  down,  schoolgirls  and  all  except 
myself  and  a  few  Christians,  old  Helper  Hung  and  others. 

On  Tuesday  June  1 2th  a  strange  Chinese  gentleman  came  to 
Teng  Shih  K'ou,  and  told  me  we  foreigners  were  all  to  be 
killed.  He  told  me  he  had  accidentally  met  me  twice,  was 
pleased  with  me,  and  wanted  to  offer  me  an  asylum  in  his 
grain  shop.  I  thought  this  was  very  kind  for  a  heathen  and  a 
stranger.  I  was  the  last  missionary  still  out  of  the  rendezvous 
and  they  kept  sending  me  messages  to  get  in  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. On  Wednesday,  June  13th,  at  4  p.  m.  Ewing  sent  me 
an  imperative  message,  as  there  was  certain  information  of  an 
attack   that  evening.     I  hired  a  cart,  put  in  a  few  things  and 


186  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

told  my  boy  to  push  my  bicycle  ahead  of  me  as  I  set  out. 
The  streets  were  filled  with  an  excited  crowd  and  my  bicycle 
drew  attention.  I  did  not  know  as  we  should  be  able  to  get 
through.  I  had  succeeded  in  purchasing  a  repeating  rifle  and 
a  good  revolver  and  was  well  armed.  Our  guards  had  been 
out  and  had  shot  in  a  temple  about  forty  Boxers  engaged  in 
cutting  to  pieces  several  Christians.  Not  a  Boxer  escaped  from 
that  temple.  I  reached  the  Methodist  Episcopal  compound  in 
safety.  About  seven  o'clock  there  was  a  tremendous  clamor  at 
the  Ha  Ta  Gate  and  we  were  told  that  the  Boxers  had  entered 
the  city,  and  we  must  prepare.  Our  soldiers  formed  a  line  in 
"Filial  Piety  "  Lane  and  charged  the  Boxers  who  ran  on  to 
the  great  street,  but  as  no  foreigners  had  been  attacked  our 
marines  did  not  think  they  had  a  right  to  fire  on  the  crowd. 
The  Boxers  set  fire  to  the  street  chapel  and  then  went  north- 
ward to  the  London  Mission,  then  Kou-lan  Hu  Tung,  and 
then  Teng  Shih  K'ou.  All  were  burned  that  night.  In  fact 
all  abandoned  foreign  places  were  burned  that  night,  Miss 
Douw's  place,  Anglican  Mission,  West  City  London  Mission, 
blind  asylum,  Presbyterian  Mission — two  places,  our  North 
Chapel,  Fifth  Street  premises,  and  every  place  where  foreigners 
were  accustomed  to  do  business,  money  shops  and  all.  The 
devil  was  let  loose.  Our  people  were  chopped  to  pieces  and 
men  and  women  who  escaped  came  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Mission  wringing  their  hands  over  lost  ones.  Some  had 
marvellous  escapes,  as  Mrs.  Yin  and  Li  Pen  Yuan  and  family, 
which  some  day  will  be  written  up.  The  Catholic  churches 
all  went  except  the  cathedral,  which  was  guarded  by  French 
and  Italian  marines.  The  legations  had  their  guards,  but  all 
felt  uneasy,  as  all  the  foreign  soldiers  together  did  not  number 
400.  We  fortified  the  large  Methodist  Episcopal  chapel,  mak- 
ing it  a  regular  fort  and  stocked  it  with  provisions.  Trenches 
were  dug  about  it  and  barbed  wire  fences  put  up.  Our  Chris- 
tians were  in  the  premises  of  the  girls'  school,  but  the  girls 
slept  every  night  in  the  chapel,  as  did  many  of  the  foreign 
ladies.  Soon  we  learned  that  the  railway  was  destroyed,  and 
the  telegraph  wires  all  cut  and  bridges  burned.  So  we  were 
entirely  shut  off  from  the  world.  Thousands  of  armed  Boxers 
surrounded  us.  We  learned  that  the  government  took  the  side 
of  the  Boxers  and  were  lending  their  aid.  Ships  at  Taku 
landed  1,500  marines  hastily,  and  started  them  for  Peking  and 
reached  the  half-way  point — Ho  Hsi  Wu — when  from  continu- 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  STORM       187 

ous  fighting  their  ammunition  gave  out  and  they  were  obliged 
to  return  to  Tientsin.  Our  ships  attacked  the  Taku  forts  and 
the  Chinese  government  declared  war  on  all  foreigners.  Did 
such  a  mad  act  ever  emanate  from  intelligent  men  ?  The 
crisis  was  reached  when  Baron  Von  Ketteler,  en  route  to  the 
Tsung  Li  Yamen,  June  19th,  was  killed  and  his  interpreter, 
Cordes,  was  severely  wounded.  By  great  exertions  and 
miraculous  preservation  Cordes  succeeded  in  reaching  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Mission  where  the  German  marines  found 
him. 

On  June  20th  Captain  Hall,  United  States  Marines,  told  us 
we  must  leave  the  mission  to  go  to  the  British  Legation,  leav- 
ing our  Christians  and  taking  only  what  we  could  carry  in  our 
hands.  We  all  refused  to  leave  our  people  and  resolved  to 
share  our  fate  together.  Then  arrangements  were  made  to  care 
for  our  Christians  in  the  Fu  of  Prince  Su,  just  opposite  the 
British  Legation.  Then  we  started  from  the  mission,  a  long 
and  sad  procession.  We  did  not  know  but  that  we  should  be 
compelled  to  go  to  Tientsin  as  best  we  could  overland. 

Pao  Yu's  mother,  Liu  Nai  Nai,  is  not  known  to  be  alive, 
and  so  Pao  Yu  clung  to  me  and  helped  me  take  food  and 
clothes,  also  Brother  Tung,  of  Cho  Chou,  shared  with  me.  It 
was  a  hot,  dusty  day  and  many  with  little  children  were  tired 
out  in  getting  to  Legation  Street.  We  found  that  our  ministers 
had  resolved  that  we  should  not  start  for  Tientsin  to  be 
murdered.  Now  it  occurred  to  me  that  as  we  had  left  every- 
thing at  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Mission,  if  we  stayed  in 
Peking  we  ought  to  get  that  stuff.  I  proposed  to  go  back  to  the 
mission,  but  no  one  would  go  with  me,  and  said  my  life  would 
pay  the  penalty.  I  finally  decided  to  take  the  risk.  I  reached 
the  lane  in  safety  and  climbed  over  the  wall  and  found  some 
Manchu  soldiers  in  possession.  They  were  as  scared  as  I  was, 
but  I  told  them  not  to  fire,  gave  them  a  silver  bill,  and  got 
their  help  to  get  out  things.  The  first  thing  I  took  was  my 
chainless  bicycle,  which  saved  my  strength  in  riding  back  and 
forth.  The  soldiers  agreed  to  take  charge  of  the  premises 
while  I  went  back  to  Legation  Street.  I  collected  all  the 
Chinese  and  foreigners  that  I  could  and  we  went  back  and 
succeeded  in  saving  a  great  many  trunks  and  canned  goods,  for 
which  the  ladies  were  duly  grateful  to  me. 

All  the  legations  were  to  concentrate  at  the  British  Legation, 
but  I  spent  the  first  night  on  a  lounge  at  our  own  legation. 


188  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

There  was  great  confusion  at  the  British  Legation  and  all  the 
missionaries  had  to  be  stowed  away  in  the  chapel.  The  ladies 
and  children  at  least  were  there,  and  the  men  slept  wherever 
they  could.  I  found  a  dry  corner  in  the  garret  of  the  chapel, 
which  I  swept  out  and  have  slept  there  ever  since.  The 
whole  garret  is  now  occupied  by  missionaries,  Tewksbury, 
Chapin,  Fenn,  Smith,  Ewing  and  others.  1  have  thus  escaped 
wetting  from  rains  which  have  injured  the  health  of  others. 

Our  Chinese  Christians  were  housed  in  Prince  Su's  palace 
and  were  comfortable  till  the  Boxers  discovered  them  and  made 
frantic  efforts  to  kill  them.  The  Japanese  marines  have  pro- 
tected them  and  in  so  doing  ten  men  have  been  killed  besides 
many  of  the  Christians.  Mr.  James  secured  the  place  and  in 
so  doing  lost  his  life.  As  he  was  returning  from  the  palace  to 
the  British  Legation  he  made  a  mistake  and  went  round  by 
the  bridge  over  the  canal  where  he  was  taken  prisoner  by 
Chinese  soldiers  and  it  is  reported  that  he  was  beheaded.  We 
all  regret  his  loss,  as  he  was  public  spirited  and  fertile  in 
resources  for  the  good  of  all.  Dr.  Morrison,  correspondent  of 
the  London  Times^  is  determined  that  the  family  of  Professor 
James  shall  secure  a  large  indemnity. 

Now  I  cannot  write  all  the  particulars  of  our  siege.  We 
came  here  June  20th  and  for  twenty-six  days  we  fought  night 
and  day  for  our  lives.  We  were  about  800  foreigners,  half 
civilians,  half  marines.  Our  lines  extended  from  the  French 
Legation  on  the  east  to  the  Russian  Legation  on  the  west.  Of 
course  our  fortifications  were  too  extended  for  our  small  force. 
The  ladies  made  sand-bags  all  day  and  we  made  barricades  at 
night.  They  tried  to  burn  us  up  and  in  so  doing  burned  the 
Han  Lin  Yuan  and  many  valuable  buildings.  They  tried  to 
mine  and  blow  us  up  but  we  countermined.  They  did  blow 
up  the  best  part  of  the  French  Legation.  We  have  lost  sixty- 
five  men  by  death,  and  over  one  hundred  wounded.  Only  one 
missionary  has  been  hurt  thus  far.  Gilbert  Reid  was  shot  in 
the  leg  below  the  knee.  He  is  about  at  the  present  time.  I 
have  been  under  fire,  but  have  not  been  injured.  Four  foreign 
babies  have  died,  including  Mrs.  Inglis'  dear  baby  who  loved 
me.  Many  children  are  ailing.  We  have  had  only  horse  meat 
for  weeks  and  it  is  poor  at  that.  We  are  out  of  milk  and  many 
of  the  necessaries  of  life.  I  have  been  on  guard  daily  in  the 
sun  from  2  to  4  P.  m.  You  know  how  hot  it  is  here.  I  sup- 
pose I  drank  too  much  cold  water  and  found  myself  down  with 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  STORM        189 

bowel  trouble.  Mrs.  Tewksbury  was  my  good  angel  and  gave 
me  what  could  be  found  for  my  comfort. 

We  have  had  a  truce  now  of  about  two  weeks'  duration  and 
Chinese  soldiers,  for  the  sake  of  money,  have  sold  us  eggs  and 
some  vegetables.  These  are  doled  out  to  sick  people  and  hence 
my  supply.  It  is  a  strange  anomaly  ;  people  who  one  day  are 
trying  to  murder  us  the  next  day  will  sell  us  eggs  for  four  or 
five  times  the  regular  price.  In  fact  the  Emperor  sent  our 
ministers  two  cart  loads  of  watermelons.  Some  one  suggested 
that  as  we  could  not  be  killed  with  bullets  they  wanted  to  kill 
us  with  cholera.  We  have  kept  in  wonderful  health  consider- 
ing that  so  many  sleep  on  brick  floors  and  have  so  much  im- 
proper food,  poorly  cooked. 

The  ministers  of  the  eleven  nations  are  cooped  up  here  and 
have  to  take  the  chances  with  the  rest  of  us.  Austria,  Holland, 
England,  Germany,  Belgium,  Japan,  Spain,  France,  Russia, 
United  States  of  America,  and  Italy,  all  have  missions,  and  most 
of  them  legation  guards.  All  the  legations  are  practically  in  a 
state  of  wreck.  It  is  a  sad  sight  to  see  in  the  German  Legation 
the  fine  buildings  torn  to  pieces  by  shot  and  shell.  The 
Empress  kindly  (?)  would  not  allow  her  soldiers  to  use  the 
largest  cannon  as  they  might  injure  the  people  beyond  in  the 
southern  city.  The  Chinese  always  fire  too  high,  and  many 
of  their  shots  must  have  done  great  damage  to  their  own  peo- 
ple. I  suppose  our  troops  are  now  en  route  from  Tientsin, 
coming  to  our  rescue.  Perhaps  you  know  more  about  that 
than  I  do. 

We  are  surrounded  by  enemies  on  all  sides ;  only  an  oc- 
casional messenger  can  creep  through.  Li  Chin  Fang,  our 
brightest  college  boy  in  Tung-chow,  bravely  volunteered  to  go 
as  messenger  to  Tientsin,  and  has  not  been  heard  of  since. 
Doubtless  he  has  been  killed.  The  first  and  most  reliable  mes- 
sage was  brought  by  a  poor  little  boy  from  our  front  chapel 
day-school,  whom  I  picked  up  in  the  street.  He  got  through 
to  Tientsin  and  back  in  seventeen  days,  played  the  part  of  a 
hero,  brought  back  important  information,  and  now  the  general 
committee  of  safety  talk  of  putting  a  thousand  dollars  in  my 
hands  with  which  to  educate  the  boy.  He  is  now  sitting  near 
me  in  nice  clean  clothes  and  is  not  spoiled  by  all  the  attention 
he  receives. 

I  have  just  made  up  our  list  of  losses  for  Peking  station  of 
the  American  Boards  and  the  total  foots  up  to  $71,000  gold. 


190  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Word  comes  to-day  of  hard  fighting  near  Tientsin,  and  the 
Peking  Gazette  reports  a  victory  for  the  Chinese.  The  same 
Gazette  reports  that  the  two  ministers  of  the  yamen  somewhat 
favorable  to  foreigners — one  ex-minister  to  Russia — have  been 
beheaded  without  trial.  So  it  goes.  Patriotism  is  at  a  dis- 
count in  this  wretched  land. 

We  learn  that  the  ladies  have  left  Tientsin,  mostly  going  to 
Japan.  The  "Snipers"  are  at  work,  and  though  we  are  at 
truce,  the  Chinese  continue  to  snipe  any  neglectful  foreigners 
or  natives.  We  are  strengthening  our  outposts,  August  2d, 
and  preparing  for  the  worst,  as  it  is  possible  the  beaten  Chinese 
troops  will  try  to  exterminate  us.  Pastor  Jen,  Li  Pen  Yuan, 
Wang  Wen  Shun  and  Chang  T'ing  Kuei  are  with  us  to  our 
great  joy.  Helpers  T'ang,  Old  Hung,  Pastor  Hung  and 
Deacons  Wang  and  Kuo  are  outside  and  their  fate  is  unknown. 
Word  comes  of  Boxer  outbreak  as  far  away  as  Shansi,  and  it  is 
feared  that  missionaries  throughout  the  empire  have  been 
massacred. 

August  4th. — Two  messengers  have  crept  through  and  bring 
letters  from  Tientsin.  July  31st  Japanese  troops,  1,500 
United  States,  4,500  Italian  soldiers  are  to  come  to  our  rescue. 
I  certainly  hope  they  will  not  delay  on  the  road,  as  I  am  tired 
of  horse  meat  and  coarse  porridge.  Many  are  sick  and 
the  hot  weather  is  prostrating  many  children.  The  smell 
of  dead  bodies  is  fearful  near  the  gates,  as  many  Chinese, 
also  dead  dogs,  horses,  etc.,  are  still  unburied,  and  we 
are  not  safe  in  getting  where  they  are.  I  am  gathering 
in  "confiscated  goods"  and  distributing  to  needy  Chinese. 
The  selfish  side  of  human  nature  comes  out  in  the  work  as- 
signed me.  Good  garments  are  greedily  called  for,  and  many 
want  more  than  their  share.  I  am  afraid  that  too  serious  a 
draft  is  made  on  my  religion,  and  I  am  growing  callous  and 
cynical.  I  must  go  now  and  hold  morning  prayers  in  the 
chapel,  invited  by  Miss  Andrews,  who  has  charge  of  that  work. 

August  7th. — Last  night  quite  a  sharp  attack  was  made  on 
us  notwithstanding  the  truce.  The  Chinese  seem  afraid  that 
we  will  break  out  and  escape.  It  is  rumored  that  they  are 
hiring  carts  and  expect  to  pack  us  800  people  off  to  Tientsin. 
They  do  not  know  that  we  have  made  up  our  minds  not  to  go 
till  the  troops  arrive.  It  is  possible  that  we  shall  have  to  fight 
for  our  lives  if  we  remain.  We  are  having  quiet  days  in  gen- 
eral but  life  in  the  legation  is  exceedingly  monotonous. 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  STOEM       191 

Yesterday  was  Sunday  and  I  was  to  preach  to  our  assembled 
Chinese.  I  was  ill  and  had  to  give  it  up.  We  are  in  doubt  as 
to  our  future.  If  we  get  out  most  of  the  missionaries  talk  of 
going  home  as  they  have  no  place  to  go  to  here  and  have  no 
clothing  or  articles  for  housekeeping.  As  I  am  only  a  "  shining 
stick,"  I  think  I  shall  remain  here  and  gather  up  the  fragments 
that  are  left. 

August  nth. — I  have  had  no  opportunity  to  write  the  last 
few  days.  The  heat  is  intense,  rains  are  rather  frequent  and 
duties  onerous.  Daily  attacks  are  still  made  and  I  have  stood 
till  two  days  ago  when  my  post  was  closed.  A  better  one  was 
opened  near  by,  a  cannon  mounted  and  marines  put  in  charge. 
So  I  was  set  free  to  my  great  relief.  My  committee  work  of 
disposing  of  *< confiscated"  or  "looted"  goods  has  kept  me 
busy.  These  goods  I  had  to  arrange  and  have  sold  at  auction ; 
often  many  garments  had  to  be  given  to  the  poor  Christians. 
Our  auction — Herring,  auctioneer — netted  about  ^800,  Mexi- 
can, which  will  doubtless  be  distributed  among  the  poor  Chris- 
tians. I  am  called  the  friend  of  all,  as  when  any  one  wants 
anything  he  asks  of  me. 

Our  troops  are  reported  half  way  or  more  to  Peking  and  are 
fighting  their  way  up.  An  occasional  messenger  has  crept 
through  our  lines.  The  Boxers  are  losing  their  courage  and 
dispersing  to  their  homes  taking  off  their  costumes.  They  are 
a  set  of  cowards  and  well  merit  the  punishment  they  will  re- 
ceive. Just  think  of  it !  The  people  of  twelve  nations  have 
been  shut  up  in  this  legation  for  eight  weeks,  fed  on  horse  meat 
and  poor  rice,  and  have  all  run  down  in  health.  Six  babies 
have  died,  and  sixty  men  have  been  killed  and  one  hundred 
and  twenty  wounded.  This  work  is  still  going  on  and  we  are 
nearing  the  twentieth  century  !  Mr.  Conger  told  me  to-day 
that  on  the  arrival  of  the  troops  he  would  see  that  we — our 
mission — had  given  over  to  us  that  Mongol  Fu — palace — ^just 
east  of  us  on  Teng  Shih  K'ou.  Ewing  will  go  home  and  per- 
haps the  ladies.  Possibly  the  Tewksburys  will  remain  in  Pe- 
king temporarily.  Most  all  of  the  missionary  body  will  leave. 
It  will  take  some  time  to  settle  political  complications.  I  do 
not  suppose  that  much  missionary  work  can  be  done  for  a  year 
or  two.  Our  poor  people — those  who  are  saved — not  many, 
must  be  settled  in  homes  and  efforts  made  to  secure  indemnity 
for  them  as  well  as  for  ourselves.  My  heart  bleeds  for  them. 
They  are   aliens   in  their  own  country   and   pronounced   as 


192  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

**  bandits"  by  imperial  decree.  Deacon  Wan  is  reduced  to 
poverty  and  one  child  has  starved  during  the  siege,  I  imagine 
that  the  stories  we  shall  hear  on  leaving  this  place  will  harrow 
our  hearts.  There  has  been  no  such  horrible  persecution  since 
the  days  of  Nero.  Even  he  did  not  tliink  of  all  the  forms  of 
mutilation  to  which  the  Boxers  have  subjected  our  people. 

August  1 6th. — Praise  the  Lord  !  Two  days  ago,  the  14th, 
we  were  relieved.  The  first  soldiers  to  enter  the  city  were  the 
Sikhs  from  India,  then  the  Americans.  Our  people  were  first 
at  the  gate,  but  the  fighting  fell  to  them,  and  they  came  in 
tired  and  fagged,  as  the  14th  was  one  of  the  hottest  days  in 
the  history  of  the  world.  The  Empress  was  allowed  to  escape, 
as  there  is  a  dissension  among  the  allied  forces,  as  always 
happens.  1  saw  our  American  troops  storm  the  three  gates  of 
the  imperial  city.  The  Chinese  made  quite  a  fight  but  our 
cannon  discomfited  them.  Volumes  could  be  written.  I  was 
very  busy  getting  ready  to  leave  the  legation,  as  Sir  Claude 
MacDonald  seemed  to  want  our  room  for  officers  of  the  Brit- 
ish army.  I  picked  out  the  Mongol  palace  just  east  of  our 
former  residence.  They  were  all  Boxers  and  if  seen  would  be 
shot.  Most  of  our  people  are  going  away  and  I  feel  lonesome. 
I  am  tired  out.  Have  not  taken  my  clothes  off  for  some  time 
and  the  heat  is  terrific.  Then  I  have  no  clothes,  and  my  one 
pair  of  shoes  are  dropping  from  my  feet.  I  have  not  worn  a 
linen  collar  or  shirt  for  two  months  and  feel  as  rough  as  our 
soldiers  look. 

Well,  we  are  free,  for  the  present  at  least.  I  am  under  the 
Japanese  flag  in  this  part  of  the  city ;  may  soon  be  under  the 
flag  of  Russia.  The  political  situation  is  very  complicated  and 
I  see  no  light  at  present.  Perhaps  Peking  will  be  a  desert  be- 
fore they  get  through  with  it.  The  Japs,  Russians  and  Hin- 
doos are  a  greedy  set  and  steal  and  break  into  houses  on  all 
sides.  "Hell  has  broken  loose"  and  "war  is  hell,"  even 
when  civilized.  The  Chinese  will  expiate  their  sins  in  blood 
and  the  old  empire  will  gradually  come  to  the  new  light. 
Our  General  Chaffee  is  not  friendly  to  missions  and  is  a 
rough,  grizzled  warrior  to  whom  I  am  not  drawn.  He  has 
that  kind  of  conceit  you  often  find  in  men  of  his  training.  It 
is  late  and  I  must  ride  the  horse  formerly  belonging  to  the 
Boxer  prince  over  to  the  British  Legation,  and  see  if  this 
letter  can  go.  There  is  no  postal  service  and  all  say  letters 
can   only  go   once   in   two  weeks.     Foreigners  all  killed  by 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  STORM        193 

Boxers  in  Pao  Ting  Fu.     It  is  awful  to  contemplate.     Sixty 
missionaries  killed  in  Shansi. 

Love  to  all.  Hugs  and  kisses  for  my  dearest  ones.  Chinese 
neighbors  seem  glad  to  see  me  and  I  had  some  good  things  to 
eat  to-day.  Ta  T'ung  and  family  all  killed,  six  children, 
except  one  boy.  (This  man,  a  quiet  and  lovely  fellow,  had 
been  a  servant  for  many  years  in  the  mission  compound.  He 
had  married  the  elder  daughter  of  the  Kung  family,  two  of 
whose  brothers  were  graduates  of  the  college.  They  lived 
close  to  the  compound  in  a  house  owned  and  rented  to  them 
by  the  missionaries.)  Pa  Shih,  the  carter,  and  family  are  safe, 
also  Deacon  Ku.  Ch'ang  Nai  Nai  (a  Bible  woman)  and  dear 
old  Ch'ang  were  killed.  Chang  Hsiang,  who  had  been  a 
washerman  in  the  compound,  was  the  worst  of  the  Boxers,  for 
he  knew  all  the  people. 

Your  resurrected  husband, 

W.  S.  A. 
Mr.  Tewksbury's  Story  : 

In  the  late  forenoon  of  August  15  th  (the  British  Lega- 
tion had  been  relieved  on  the  afternoon  of  the  14th)  Dr. 
Ament  and  I  felt  an  immense  longing  to  get  out  from  behind 
the  brick  walls  and  barricades  that  had  surrounded  us  for  so 
many  weeks.  Perhaps  to  the  neglect  of  regular  siege  duties, 
we  mounted  the  city  wall  at  the  back  of  the  American  Legation. 
Going  up  by  the  *'  zigzag  "  on  the  ramp,  where  but  a  few  days 
before  we  would  have  been  the  target  of  many  Chinese  soldiers, 
we  examined  with  interest  the  defenses  on  top  of  the  wall, 
where  Americans  and  Russian  and  British  so  gallantly  held  in 
check  the  enemy  for  many  weeks.  As  we  passed  over  and 
through  the  barricades  we  watched  the  Chinese  in  the  south- 
ern city  crossing  by  the  beggar's  bridge.  Towards  the  south 
lay  the  vast  area  devastated  by  the  fire  that  destroyed  the  outer 
tower  of  the  Chien-men.  Hastening  on  towards  the  gate  we 
saw  before  us  the  attack  on  the  gates  of  the  imperial  city. 
Captain  Riley  and  the  United  States  artillery  with  a  part  of  the 
Ninth  (?)  Infantry  had  been  stationed  on  the  top  of  the  Chien-men 
wall.  Facing  them  across  the  open  entrance  passage  were  the 
Chinese  troops,  along  the  top  of  the  first  gate  to  the  imperial 
city.  The  work  of  our  artillery  could  be  watched  as  the  shots 
took  effect  on  the  marble  balustrade  fronting  our  position. 
Volleys  were  interchanged  at  intervals  between  the  gates.  I 
remember  how  interested  we  were  in  this  our  first  look   at  a 


194  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

real  fight  on  the  part  of  trained  forces.  Crouching  down  be- 
hind   the    battlements    we   worked  towards  the  centre  of  the 

American  position.    A  soldier  shouted  at  us,  "  You ,  why 

don't  you  keep  your  heads  down  out  of  the  way?  A  man  was 
shot  right  there  only  a  moment  ago."  For  the  moment  we  for- 
got that  our  position  was  exposed  to  a  flank  fire  from  the  west, 
from  that  part  of  the  wall  still  occupied  by  the  Chinese. 
Looking  down  under  our  feet  we  saw  blood  and  through  the 
open  gate  of  the  Chien-men  tower  had  just  been  carried  the 
body  of  Captain  Riley. 

The  Chinese  were  soon  driven  from  their  position  on  the  first 
gate  to  the  north  and  our  infantry  took  position  in  the  tall 
grass  of  the  long  passageway  leading  from  the  Chien-men  to 
the  first  gate.  Dr.  Ament  and  I  went  down  and  lay  with  them 
in  the  grass  while  the  artillery  broke  the  fastenings  of  the  gate. 
As  soon  as  this  was  accomplished  the  infantry  in  column  ad- 
vanced down  the  passage.  We  followed,  under  the  eaves  of 
the  long  line  of  granaries  to  the  east  of  the  road.  Just  as  we 
reached  that  part  of  the  entrance  where  roads  branched  to  the 
east  and  west  a  sweeping  volley  came  in  from  the  enemy. 
For  this  we  were  not  prepared  and  accordingly  ran  for  some 
sort  of  shelter.  Running  to  the  east  along  the  line  of  the 
granaries,  we  rushed  in  to  the  first  open  door. 

For  an  hour  or  more  we  kept  quite  closely  with  the  soldiers 
as  they  forced  the  gates  by  the  aid  of  artillery.  It  was  at  the 
third  gate  that  we  had  another  exciting  experience.  It  was 
the  custom  to  bring  our  cannon  within  fifty  or  one  hundred 
feet  of  the  gate  and  point  it  directly  at  the  place  where  the 
gate-bar,  usually  a  huge  log  of  wood,  crossed  on  the  inside. 
Our  cannon-balls  would  pierce  the  gate  and  after  a  while  break 
this  log  of  wood.  The  gates  would  then  be  pushed  open  and 
the  infantry  march  in.  As  this  particular  gate  was  pushed  in, 
the  customary  long  tunnel-like  passage  through  the  wall  re- 
vealed itself.  Not  anticipating  any  resistance  from  an  enemy 
within,  the  advance  guards  started  through  this  gate  tunnel. 
The  colors  followed  and  about  the  color  sergeant  were  grouped 
quite  a  number  of  civihans,  among  whom  we  found  ourselves. 
About  half-way  through  the  tunnel,  apparently  within  a  few 
inches  of  our  heads,  came  a  sudden  cloud  of  rifle  bullets  from 
the  enemy.  The  advance  had  been  unwisely  ordered,  for  the 
inner  court  was  still  defended.  As  all  of  us  rushed  back 
through   the  passageway   I   can   hear  now  the  whack  of  thq 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  STORM        195 

bullets  as  they  passed  almost  through  our  hair  and  buried 
themselves  in  the  half  shut  gate  through  which  we  had  come  ! 
Several  of  the  advance  guard  were  wounded  in  this  encounter. 
Skirmishers  were  put  at  work,  ladders  run  up  to  the  top  of  the 
flanking  walls  and  the  inner  court  cleared  before  another  ad- 
vance was  ordered. 

Dr.  Ament  and  I  remained  with  the  soldiers  until  the  attack 
on  the  fourth  gate  had  been  arranged,  when  Major  Conger 
told  us  that  there  was  no  use  of  remaining  longer,  for  the 
attack  was  to  be  called  off.  We  then  returned  to  the  British 
Legation. 

I  think  it  was  late  the  same  afternoon  that  the  **  call  of  the 
open  "  again  mastered  us.  This  time  it  was  to  try  and  find 
what  there  might  be  to  see  of  the  old  mission  compound  we 
loved  so  well.  I  never  shall  forget  the  weirdness  of  it  all  as 
we  two  walked  slowly  up  the  Hata  Gate  Street.  This 
ordinarily  populous  street  was  absolutely  deserted — even 
uncanny  in  its  vacancy.  There  may  have  been  hundreds  of 
eyes  watching  our  movements  through  the  cracks  of  the  shut 
doors,  but  we  could  only  feel  them.  Apparently  every  one 
had  fled  from  that  part  of  the  city,  anticipating  the  lust  of 
the  conquered  and  the  conquering.  The  dusk  was  fast  com- 
ing on  and  I  urged  Dr.  Ament  to  give  up  Teng  Shih  K'ou 
for  that  day.  He  however  had  little  place  for  fear,  and  of 
course  was  anxious  to  see  what  might  be  left  of  home  and 
chapel.  Hastening  on  we  rounded  the  corner  towards  Teng 
Shih  K'ou  and  here  again  the  strangeness  of  it  all  smote  to  our 
very  hearts.  The  deserted  street,  the  ruined  chapel  and  com- 
pound and  opposite  on  the  further  corner  a  burning  lumber 
yard  !  Dr.  Ament  suggested  that  we  push  into  the  Pei  Le  Fu, 
the  premises  of  a  Mongol  duke,  adjoining  our  mission  com- 
pound. This  was  known  to  have  been  a  Boxer  rendezvous. 
We  threw  open  the  outside  gate  and  rushed  into  the  outer 
court,  not  knowing  what  resistance  we  might  meet.  Only  the 
dead  body,  perhaps  of  one  of  the  gatemen,  lay  in  our  way. 
One  of  the  rooms  of  the  inner  court  seemed  almost  a  small 
arsenal.  We  secured  what  guns  and  ammunition  we  might 
need,  then  tried  to  plan  what  was  best  to  do.  It  was  fast 
getting  dark,  but  evidently  this  compound  would  be  an  emi- 
nently suitable  place  in  which  to  care  for  the  Chinese  ref- 
ugees of  the  Peking  mission,  when  on  the  morrow  it  would 
become  necessary  for  them  to  leave  their  siege  quarters  near 


196  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

the  British  Legation.  It  was  fitting  not  only  because  it  was 
near  the  ruined  mission  compound,  but  whose  home  would 
better  accommodate  the  persecuted  Christians  than  that  of  one 
of  the  dukes  who  was  responsible  for  the  Boxer  terror  that  had 
destroyed  their  homes  and  martyred  their  families  and  friends  ! 

Dr.  Ament,  brave  as  always,  insisted  on  remaining  through 
the  night  in  the  Fu,  so  that  no  one  else  might  take  possession 
of  the  houses.  This  did  not  appeal  to  me  as  wise,  especially 
as  my  own  family  was  at  the  British  Legation  and,  not  knowing 
where  we  were,  would  be  caused  needless  anxiety.  I  therefore 
returned  alone  to  the  legation  and  informed  Major  Conger  of 
Dr.  Ament' s  location  and  hopes.  Major  Conger  did  not  feel 
that  he  could  give  a  guard  that  night  to  so  distant  an  outpost. 
He  asked  me,  however,  to  lead  a  detachment  of  American 
soldiers  to  Pei  Le  Fu  and  either  bring  in  Dr.  Ament  or  make 
sure  that  he  understood  that  if  he  remained  it  was  at  his  own 
risk.  We  found  him  sitting  peaceably  in  the  arsenal  of  the 
Fu,  but  the  commander  of  the  guard  finally  convinced  the 
brave  fellow  that  nothing  would  be  lost  by  returning  for  the 
night  to  the  legation. 

On  the  next  day  Dr.  Ament  and  I  found  that  we  were  to  be 
the  two  American  Board  leaders  who  were  to  remain  to  care 
for  our  Chinese  refugees,  arrange  for  the  indemnities  and  pos- 
sibly lay  again  the  foundations  of  our  Peking  and  Tung-chow 
compounds  and  mission  work.  With  Miss  Russell,  Mr.  Stelle 
and  the  Peking  native  Christians  he  took  up  his  task  at  the 
Pei  Le  Fu.  With  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Smith,  several  of  the  single 
ladies  and  our  Tung-chow  refugees,  I  was  allowed  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  Yii-wang-fu  and  there  take  up  our  work  in  the 
reconstruction  period.  Many  times  in  the  days  and  months 
that  followed  did  we  meet  new  and  unlooked-for  problems  and 
often  discussed  them  together.  His  strong  sturdy  common 
sense  and  utter  fearlessness,  as  he  pushed  boldly  through  the 
unattractive  wastes  of  Chinese  official  promises  and  delays 
brought  him  finally  through  to  victory  for  his  persecuted  flock. 
He  won  for  them  homes  and  protection  and  new  friends.  For 
himself  he  sought  no  reward,  but  found  it  a  thousandfold  in  the 
love  of  those  he  helped  and  in  the  respect  and  honor  of  those 
he  had  to  compel  to  help. 

The  following  letter  has  its  special  interest  as  being  the 
first  one  definitely  dated  from  the  well-known  Fu. 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  STORM       197 

Mongol  Fu,  Pekingi  '^^g-  20,  igoo. 
Dear  Mary  : 

I  am  settled  in  this  old  Fu.  Miss  Haven,  Miss  Russell 
and  Miss  Sheffield  are  here  for  the  present.  Stelle  has  come  to 
remain,  dear  old  boy  that  he  is. 

The  political  situation  is  unsettled.  Russians  and  Japanese 
are  supposed  to  be  at  enmity.  The  Russians  have  already  be- 
gun to  clear  up  this  east  side  of  the  city  and  soon  things  will 
begin  to  put  on  a  new  face.  Pillaging  goes  on  all  the  time  and 
the  city  is  desolate  in  her  ruins.  I  have  here  about  two  hun- 
dred Christian  refugees,  poor  worn  persecuted  ones  whom  I  am 
feeding  on  food  taken  from  the  rich  famihes  near  by.  They 
ought  to  suffer  in  view  of  all  the  misery  they  have  created. 
To-morrow  morning  early  the  first  batch  of  foreigners  will 
leave  Peking  for  Tientsin  under  escort  of  United  States  ma- 
rines. In  two  weeks'  time  there  will  hardly  be  a  foreign  lady 
or  child  in  Peking.  The  customs  ladies  are  all  leaving.  I 
have  suddenly  developed  into  a  man  of  influence  as  I  have 
charge  of  the  Fu,  and  the  neighbors  treat  me  as  though  I  were 
a  prince.  They  have  brought  me  in  eggs,  chickens,  ducks, 
and  grapes  galore.  They  taste  good  to  a  tongue  grown  used 
to  horse  meat  and  poor  rice.  Our  poor  people  come  in  with 
their  tales  of  woe  which  would  break  a  heart  of  stone.  Many 
have  been  killed  and  I  shall  act  as  avenger  if  I  can  meet  the 
brutes  in  human  form.  No  one  thinks  that  mercy  should  be 
shown  them.  When  I  am  rested  I  will  write  more  fully. 
Arthur  Smith  will  be  the  historian  of  this  historic  period.  I 
hope  he  will  do  it  well,  though  his  views  are  pessimistic. 
Peking  is  a  medley  of  nations  and  no  such  sights  are  visible  in 
any  part  of  the  world.  The  city  may  be  reduced  to  a  desert. 
It  looks  that  way  now.  Two  thousand  eight  hundred  Germans 
are  coming  north  and  shooting  every  man,  woman  and  child 
they  meet.  They  can  hardly  be  blamed,  as  their  minister  was 
shot  dead  in  such  a  dastardly  way.  Our  people  have  stood 
well  and  deserve  the  support  and  care  which  I  am  now  giving 
them.     Only  this  word  more. 

Pet  Le  Fu,  Aug.  25,  igoo. 
Dear  Mary  : 

I  am  driven  with  work  in  looking  after  my  refugee 
Christians  ;  about  two  hundred  in  all  are  in  my  charge.  Tung- 
chow  people  are  in  another  place.     The  Russian  soldiers  are 


198  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

ravishing  the  women  and  committing  horrible  atrocities.  Very 
little  redress.  Stelle  is  with  me.  The  city  is  stagnant  and 
only  very  slowly  are  people  coming  out  of  hiding.  I  shall  soon 
begin  some  punitive  measures  on  Boxers.  China  seems  a 
ruined  country.  We  may  all  have  to  leave.  Our  people  from 
the  country  and  the  region  of  Shantung  come  with  horrible 
stories  of  Boxer  cruelties.  Our  churches  are  simply  wiped  out. 
Only  a  small  remnant  will  remain.  We  must  reconstruct  as 
best  we  can.  We  find  buried  silver  in  good  quantities  and 
plenty  of  grain,  so  that  our  people  have  plenty  to  eat  and  to 
wear.  Deacon  Wan  is  the  only  man  who  can  live  in  his  own 
house.  Kuang  and  wife  were  both  killed.  Boxers  made  little 
distinction  between  good  and  bad.  Some  of  our  worst  people 
are  gone  and  some  of  our  best.  Ta  T'ung,  wife  and  six  chil- 
dren were  killed.  Some  of  the  old  schoolgirls  are  killed. 
We  have  a  remnant  of  twenty  girls  left  with  us.  Most  are 
from  Pao  Ting  Fu.  Sixty-one  foreigners  were  killed  in  Shansi ; 
doubtless  our  whole  mission  there  was  wiped  out.  Pao  Ting 
Fu  is  a  desert.  The  foreign  soldiers  will  not  leave  for  some 
months  perhaps.  The  powers  are  divided  in  counsel  and  little 
is  being  done  to  settle  matters.  We  can  only  hold  on  to  our 
fragments  and  wait. 

August  27th. — I  am  trying  to  write  you  a  daily  letter  but  am 
too  driven  to  think  of  anything  but  crushing  duties.  The 
cemetery  was  despoiled  by  Boxers.  Mr.  Mateer  and  other 
newly  buried  bodies  were  dug  up  and  burned  by  Boxers.  I 
am  going  out  to  see,  as  Mrs.  Mateer  is  wild  to  know  the  facts 
before  she  leaves.  Everything  is  in  confusion.  The  women 
are  afraid  of  the  Russian  soldiers.  The  devil  is  abroad.  New 
refugees  in  this  morning.  Went  to  see  the  cathedral  en  route. 
The  Catholics  suffered  more  than  we  did.  All  in  distress. 
No  union  among  the  powers  and  no  light  in  the  darkness  as  yet. 

August  28th. — To-day  foreign  troops  entered  the  forbidden 
city.  Civilians  were  not  suffered  to  be  present,  but  I  secured 
a  pass  from  Mr.  Conger  and  with  Miss  Haven,  Miss  Russell 
and  Miss  Sheffield,  went  on  to  the  coal  hill  where  we  had  a 
magnificent  view.  Troops  of  seven  nations  went  through  the 
city  from  north  to  south.  Only  a  few  eunuchs  were  on  the 
premises.  It  was  a  grand  sight  and  one  to  be  remembered. 
Am  still  busy  buying,  getting  grain,  as  we  may  see  a  famine 
next  spring.  Boxers  still  busy  at  Cho  Chou.  My  mouth  is 
still  sore  from  scurvy  contracted  in  legation  during  siege.     We 


THE  BREAKING  OF  THE  STORM       199 

had  so  few  vegetables  that  nearly  all  foreigners  are  suffering  in 
that  way  Neighbors  who  desire  my  protection  still  bring  in 
chickens,  eggs,  ducks,  etc.  We  are  quite  well  provided  for 
the  winter.  I  think  I  have  grain  enough  for  my  nearly  two 
hundred  Christians  to  last  for  the  winter.  I  have  worn  myself 
out  ia  that  service.  One  of  Ta  T'ung's  children  has  been 
found  and  will  be  brought  in  this  evening.  Villagers  are  be- 
ginning to  offer  to  restore  houses  so  far  as  they  can.  Boxer  lead- 
ers must  be  sought  out  and  punished  so  far  as  possible  I  shall 
begin  in  that  line  soon.  It  would  not  be  right  for  such  men  to 
remain  unpunished.  No  decision  as  yet  as  to  disposition  of  the 
Empress  or  the  political  future  of  China.     Am  very  busy  and 

^^^August  2Qth.— Now  that  we  are  freed  from  the  Boxers,  the 
burden  of  our  lives  is  the  Russian  soldier.  He  comes  in  at 
pleasure,  handles  our  things  and  makes  himself  generally  dis- 
agreeable. It  is  our  misfortune  to  be  under  Russian  jurisdic- 
tion To-day  I  found  in  a  loft,  where  the  former  owners  of 
this  place  kept  their  valuables,  four  watches,  some  sycee  and 
oceans  of  jewelry.  We  shall  get  it  all  over  in  the  strong-room 
of  the  American  Legation  as  soon  as  possible. 

Tui  Hsi  has  returned  and  said  while  acting  as  a  beggar  at  the 
Northwest  Gate  he  saw  nine  Presbyterian  Christians  killed, 
among  them  Feng  Lin's  fiancee.  One  was  not  dead  and  asked 
for  water  when  a  soldier  ran  her  through  with  his  sword  boi- 
diers  and  Boxers  were  all  the  same.  Humanity  shudders  at 
the  atrocities.  Yet  Russia,  indeed  none  of  the  powers,  feels 
called  upon  to  avenge  the  slaughtered  saints.  I  am  just  off  to 
see  Mr  Conger,  to  see  if  we  are  to  submit  to  the  insults  ot  the 
Russians.  Perhaps  a  guard  can  be  placed  in  our  gateway.  At 
any  rate  something  must  be  done,  or  I  may  hurt  some  one. 

1  send  you  a  letter  written  by  a  neighbor,  student  o  the 
Tung  Wen  Kuan  (Dr.  Martin's  former  college).  No  letter 
from  you  since  the  one  received  June  4th.     Do  you  imagine 

"^  Good-bye.     Love  and  kisses  from  your  old  husband.     It  will 
soon  be  two  years  since  I  left  your  cheering  presence. 

Peking,  Aug.  22,  igoo. 

Dear  Dr.  Ament  :  .        ,  u       ^f  ^.r 

Many  thanks  for  your  protecting  the  "^e^\bers  of  my 

family,  thirty-one  in  number  including  the  servants.     Durmg 


200  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

these  last  few  days  I  have  been  ordered  by  my  superior  officers, 
their  Excellencies  Kun  Kang,  Ching  Hsin,  Huo  Te,  Ah  Ke 
Tan,  Na  Tung,  Shih  Hsu,  and  Wen  Lien,  the  ministers  of  the 
Tsung  Li  Yamen,  and  different  boards.  They  desire  me  to  in- 
terpret their  language  to  the  ministers  of  foreign  powers.  First 
of  all  they  made  an  apology  for  my  government,  second  they 
ask  favors  of  foreign  ministers,  and  generally  for  the  Chinese 
creatures.  Since  I  have  no  leisure  to  learn  lecture  from  you,  I 
beg  to  ask  what  will  be  your  convenient  hour,  within  a  few  days, 
so  I  may  show  my  respect  to  you.  Last  evening  when  I  re- 
turned home  I  was  told  by  my  sons  that  they  have  committed 
a  sad  fault  because  they  were  ignorant  of  European  customs. 
They  thought  they  were  right  to  buy  some  coarse  rice  from  the 
grain  shop  without  getting  your  order.  Being  so  tired  that  I 
have  got  no  time  to  explain  to  them  the  rules  of  Western  nations, 
I  am  sorry  to  say  that  I  have  also  committed  a  fault.  However 
since  we  are  under  your  protection  and  you  are  our  kind  neigh- 
bor I  hope  you  will  forgive  us. 

Yours  most  respectfully. 

Wen  Jin. 


There  is  nothing  on  earth  sweeter  to 
think  upon  than  the  divine  pity  and 
tenderness  and  longing  that  looked  out 
from  the  eyes  of  Jesus  upon  suffering 
men  and  women  who  came  to  Him  for 
help. 

— Henry  Kingman. 

XIY 

FLOTSAM  AND  JETSAM  IN  PEKING 

Miss  Russell's  Narrative  : 

The  annual  meeting  came  in  June  and  Dr.  Ament  went 
to  attend  one  or  two  important  sessions.  For  days  the  church 
members  had  been  coming  in  from  the  country,  many  of  them 
dirty,  destitute,  sick,  injured  and  as  helpless  as  children. 
Homes,  clothing,  food,  money,  hope  and  courage,  all  gone. 
One  dark  night  one  of  the  country  church-members,  who  had 
two  sons  in  the  palace  as  servants,  came  to  the  compound  and 
on  learning  that  Mr.  Ament  was  away  came  to  me  and  said  : 
"  Tell  the  pastor  to  leave  the  city  to-morrow  and  take  you  all 
with  him ;  it  is  going  to  be  very  dreadful  and  unless  you  go 
quickly,  you  cannot  escape."  I  assured  him  that  the  pastor 
would  not  go  and  leave  them  and  added,  ''  What  about  you?  " 
"Oh,"  said  he,  "it  does  not  matter  if  we  are  killed,  but  if 
anything  should  happen  to  the  pastors,  who  then  would  love 
the  Chinese  and  want  to  work  for  China?  "  I  assured  him: 
"  God  would  raise  up  others  if  the  present  friends  were  re- 
moved." Again  and  again,  with  tears  running  down  his  face, 
did  he  urge  that  we  leave  the  city  immediately.  He  was  so 
afraid  that  he  would  not  come  into  the  house  but  stood  on  the 
porch  in  the  shadow.  Timid  at  that  time,  a  few  days  later 
courage  came  to  him  to  die  rather  than  deny  his  Master. 

On  the  6th  of  June  the  Christians  in  the  city  met  at  the 
American  Board  Mission  to  discuss  plans  and  to  pray  for 
guidance;  no  one  but  church-members  were  allowed,  as  the 
people  were  afraid  of  spies.  Plan  after  plan  was  proposed,  but 
these  did  not  meet  the  approval  of  the  foreign  pastors  present. 
These  latter  did  not  then  realize  the  danger  in  the  city  or  the 
magnitude  of  the  movement  and  felt  that  the  Chinese  were 
overanxious.  It  was  a  meeting  I  am  sure  no  one  could  forget. 
Just  before  the  close,  Dr.  Ament  came  in  from  a  call  at  the 
American  Legation  and  seeing  the  distress  of  the  Christians,  in- 
vited them  all  to  come  to  the  American  Board  Mission  and 

201 


202  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

said:  '*We  will  live  or  die  together.  We  shall  not  forsake 
you."  These  words  will  always  be  remembered  by  those  there 
that  day  and  the  wonderful  prayer  by  Pastor  Teng  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Mission  which  closed  that  session  gave  courage  to 
many  who  with  him  and  his  entire  family  were  called  to  lay 
down  their  lives  for  the  Master  during  the  next  few  days. 

Dr.  Ament's  rescue  of  the  Tung-chow  friends  is  well  known, 
and  many  a  man  has  been  given  a  Victoria  Cross  for  a  less 
brave  deed.  He  was  quite  unwilling  to  leave  the  American 
Board  Mission  and  go  with  the  others  to  the  Methodist  Mis- 
sion. He  felt  that  he,  with  some  of  the  other  helpers  and  men 
in  the  printing  office,  could  hold  the  place.  One  day  when  all 
alone  in  his  study,  a  man  from  a  large  grain  shop  came  to  call. 
After  asking  if  he  were  alone  in  the  house  he  said  in  a  whis- 
per :  "  It  is  going  to  be  very  bad  in  the  city  and  we  cannot 
save  the  others  but  you  come  and  we  will  hide  you  and  protect 
you  with  our  lives."  This  man  was  a  friend  whom  Dr. 
Ament  had  made  one  day  by  dropping  in  and  asking  for  a 
string  when  his  bicycle  gave  out  near  his  shop. 

On  Wednesday,  June  13th,  Dr.  Ament  conducted  the  reg- 
ular service  at  prayer-meeting ;  it  was  the  last  gathering  of 
many,  as  a  church.  How  tender  and  sympathetic  would  be 
the  message  of  such  a  pastor  at  such  a  time.  Four  hours  later 
the  place  was  in  flames,  some  of  them  struck  down,  the  rest 
fleeing  from  the  city.  About  an  hour  before  the  burning  of 
the  missions  in  the  city,  Dr.  Ament  went  down  to  the  Metho- 
dist Mission  in  response  to  a  called  conference.  He  was 
planning  to  go  back,  when  word  came  that  the  Boxers  had 
entered  the  city  and  were  burning  the  Methodist  Street  chapel. 
All  night  long  the  heavens  were  aglow  with  the  light  of  burning 
homes  and  churches,  and  the  noise  and  din  of  a  shouting, 
frenzied  mob  filled  the  ears. 

The  next  morning  Dr.  Ament,  with  only  his  cane  as  a 
weapon,  at  daylight  went  alone  from  the  Methodist  Mission  to 
his  own  a  mile  away.  Going  by  back  and  side  streets  he 
reached  the  old  place  without  many  people  seeing  him.  On 
his  return  he  said,  in  speaking  of  the  ruin  and  desolation : 
"There  is  not  enough  left  to  make  a  match-box."  He  went 
all  through  the  ruins  to  see  if  any  one  was  injured  that  he 
could  rescue.  While  standing  at  the  entrance  of  the  little 
alley  leading  to  the  mission  and  wondering  which  way  to  go, 
he  noticed  men  looking  at  him  and  running  towards  a  large 


FLOTSAM  AND  JETSAM  IN  PEKING     203 

residence  where  many  Boxers  were  located.  Knowing  that 
unless  he  moved  quickly  it  would  be  too  late  he  started  a  few 
steps  down  the  big  street,  when  looking  up  he  saw  a  company 
of  Boxers  standing  in  the  entrance  of  the  Mongol  palace  just 
to  the  east  and  seemingly  waiting  for  him.  He  turned  at  once 
and  entered  a  small  alley  just  south  and  made  his  way  to  the 
back  gate  of  the  mission  to  the  blind.  This  was  all  in  ruins 
and  finding  no  one  he  went  to  the  great  street.  Walking 
quickly  he  heard  his  name  called  and  looking  round  saw  a  boy 
who  had  at  one  time  been  in  the  boys'  school,  but  had  left  to 
learn  a  trade.  Because  he  was  a  Christian  he  had  been  turned 
out  of  the  shop  and  had  spent  the  night  on  the  street.  Seeing 
Dr.  Ament  he  asked  him  to  take  him  with  him  which  he 
accordingly  did.  Later  on,  when  volunteers  were  asked  for  to 
attempt  to  take  a  message  to  Tientsin,  he  was  the  only  one  to 
respond.  In  speaking  of  it  afterwards,  he  said,  ''The  pastor 
saved  my  life  and  wouldn't  I  do  anything  I  could  to  save 
his?"  During  the  siege,  Dr.  Ament  was  appointed  to  take 
charge  of  all  Chinese  clothing  taken  from  the  Chinese  shops 
and  homes  about  the  legation  and  to  distribute  what  was 
needed  to  the  destitute  Chinese.  A  few  days  after  the 
foreigners  had  removed  to  the  British  Legation,  he  was  stand- 
ing at  the  gateway  of  the  Russian  Legation  with  six  bottles  of 
water  in  his  hands,  when  a  bullet  came  whizzing  along  and 
broke  two  of  the  bottles.  This  frightened  him  so  that  he 
dropped  the  other  four.  He  said  afterwards:  "That  jump 
was  the  highest  I  have  ever  made,  I  think,  and  I  am  sure  it  was 
a  record  breaker." 

The  night  but  one  before  the  relief  came,  I  walked  with  him 
for  an  hour  in  the  compound  of  the  legation.  It  was  a  beauti- 
ful moonlight  night  and  all  was  quiet.  Our  hearts  were  most 
anxious  over  the  Chinese  Christians  who  had  not  been  with  us 
in  the  siege.  ''Where  were  they?  Who  were  left?  How 
many  had  been  faithful  ?  Where  should  we  go  when  we  left 
the  legation  ?  How  should  we  and  the  three  or  four  hundred 
Chinese  who  were  directly  dependent  on  us,  live  ?  The  little 
churches  in  the  country,  what  of  them?"  It  was  impossible 
for  all  to  stay  at  the  legation  after  the  allies  came,  and  Dr. 
Ament  had  been  talking  with  Mr.  Conger,  our  American 
minister.  It  was  decided  to  take  possession  of  the  large 
Mongol  palace,  east  of  the  American  Board  Mission.  This 
had  been  one  of  the  strongholds  of  the  Boxers.     It  was  they 


204  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

who  had  burned  the  American  Board  Mission  and  killed  many 
of  the  Protestant  Christians. 

From  this  place  we  early  went  to  our  old  compound.  Noth- 
ing but  ruins  everywhere.  Not  a  tree,  not  a  shrub,  or  vine 
left.  Could  order  ever  be  brought  out  of  such  desolation? 
Ah,  that  night  we  entered  into  sympathy  with  the  Jew^s  as  they 
came  back  from  their  exile  and  saw  the  destruction  of  homes 
and  sanctuary.  I  shall  never  forget  the  flash  of  Dr.  Ament's 
eyes  as  in  response  to  my  saying  :  "This  place  but  represents 
the  condition  of  the  church ;  we  shall  not  live  to  see  it  regain 
what  has  been  lost,"  he  said,  **  Don't  be  discouraged;  in  ten 
years  it  will  have  more  than  regained."  I  am  glad  God  did 
not  take  him  away  until  he  had  seen  his  prophecy  more  than 
fulfilled  in  less  time  than  that. 

Pekingy  Sept.  i,  igoo. 
Dearest  Mary  : 

Last  evening  Mr.  Wells  of  Tengchofu  came  from 
Tientsin  and  brought  our  mail  which  had  been  waiting  there  for 
some  time.  No  man  was  ever  more  heartily  welcomed.  How 
hungry  I  was  for  a  sight  of  your  writing,  not  having  seen  a 
word  since  June  4th.  I  just  learned  of  your  telegram  which 
never  reached  me,  getting  no  further  than  Chefoo,  where  it  was 
piled  up  with  hundreds  of  others.  Your  anxiety  for  me  has 
been  great.  I  am  afraid  your  health  has  suffered.  You  may 
never  know  how  wonderfully  I  have  been  sustained — good 
health,  grace  and  spirit  to  do  a  little  for  others.  You  may  see 
some  time  in  the  London  Tifnes  of  my  rescue  of  the  Tung- 
chow  people.  Dr.  Morrison  telegraphed  it  long  ago  and  many 
have  spoken  to  me  about  it.  Brother  Li  of  the  North  Chapel 
just  comes  in  crying  to  say  his  wife,  mother  and  three  children 
were  killed  by  Boxers,  and  property  divided  up.  Those  wretches 
and  he  had  no  feud.  Gamewell  covered  himself  with  glory 
during  the  siege.  He  was  our  engineer.  I  am  interrupted  all 
the  time  and  can  only  write  a  few  words.  I  am  holding  the 
church  together  but  a  relief  will  come  some  day.  We  have 
about  two  hundred  Christians  whom  I  am  carrying  as  they 
have  neither  houses  nor  means  of  livelihood.  Pastor  Jen  is  my 
right  hand  man  and  keeps  the  respect  of  all.  To-morrow  is 
our  first  communion  service.  Communion  service  plates  and 
goblets  were  stolen  by  the  Boxers.  I  have  no  clothes  for  a 
change,    practically   what  I  have  is   on  my  back — no  shoes, 


FLOTSAM  AND  JETSAM  IN  PEKING     205 

stockings,  neckties,  no  trunk.  We  left  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Mission  with  what  we  could  carry  in  our  hands.  Fruit  is 
coming  in,  for  which  we  are  glad.     My  scurvy  mouth  is  well. 

Peking,  Sept.  j,  igoo. 

It  will  be  just  two  years  to-morrow  since  I  left  you  and  my 
heart  behind  in  Owosso.  It  seems  an  age.  Passage  of  time 
makes  it  no  easier  to  be  separated,  but  these  poor  people  need 
me  and  I  cannot  leave  them.  About  the  time  I  finished  your 
letter  who  should  turn  up  but  poor  old  Wen  Ma  and  Moses — 
Willie's  nurse  and  her  grandson — who  came  to  say  that  they 
had  come  in  from  the  mountains  where  they  had  been  hiding. 
They  were  a  sorrowful  looking  set  and  have  suffered  for  their 
faith.  I  gave  them  room  here  and  will  feed  them  for  a  while. 
Four  men  left  this  morning  for  Cho  Chou  and  will  try  and  look 
up  the  church-members  there,  also  at  Liang  Hsiang. 

I  am  busy  looking  after  my  people  and  hope  soon  to  see  some 
of  them  reinstated  in  their  homes.  In  some  places  people  are 
offering  to  rebuild  homes  of  Christians  and  restore  grain  and 
animals.  Of  course  they  cannot  bring  back  the  dead  to  life. 
I  cannot  act  as  avenger  in  so  many  cases,  and  one  may  forgive 
vile  rascals  who  pretend  to  repent.  Still  I  prefer  to  err  on  the 
safe  side.  A  man  brought  me  last  evening  six  mules  and  one 
donkey  as  he  had  no  food  for  them — the  Russians  stripping  him 
of  everything.  So  his  animals  were  starving.  I  gave  Deacon 
Li  of  the  North  Church  three  mules  and  Deacon  Kuo  will  take 
the  other  three.  In  this  way  our  people  are  getting  some  com- 
pensation for  their  losses.  I  have  now  nearly  twenty  horses  and 
mules.  You  see  the  need  of  gathering  grain.  Famine  may  be 
on  us  before  the  winter  is  through.  Dr.  Martin  is  very  poorly 
to-day,  out  of  his  head  till  nearly  noon.  He  is  hurrying  home 
to  his  children  as  he  now  realizes  his  weakness.  Fruit  is  coming 
in  now  and  we  are  supplied  in  every  respect.  I  am  getting  a 
pillow  made  and  may  sleep  comfortably  after  three  months  of 
discomfort.  I  may  be  able  to  get  shoes  and  underclothes  from 
the  army  commissary.  I  am  very  destitute.  I  need  books,  as 
I  have  nothing  but  my  Bible  left. 

September  8th. — Stelle,  Miss  Haven,  Mrs.  Mateer  and  Wells, 
Dr.  Mateer's  nephew,  left  this  morning  under  an  escort  of  Ameri- 
can soldiers  for  Tientsin.  Troops  are  preparing  to  spend  the 
winter  here.  Boxer  trouble  is  by  no  means  past.  Anywhere 
within  twenty  miles  Boxers  can  be  found  and  they  propose  tg 


206  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

keep  up  the  fight.  The  crops  are  good  and  fruit  comes  in 
abundance.  The  city  is  getting  quiet  though  the  diplomats 
seem  to  have  settled  on  no  "modus  operandi."  Two  of  our 
people  started  for  Cho  Chou  and  I  am  afraid  met  Boxers  near 
Liang  Hsiang  and  are  killed.  It  is  too  bad  after  they  have 
escaped  so  many  dangers.  Two  correspondents  are  with  us, 
one  the  son  of  Dr.  Keen,  a  Methodist  Episcopal  preacher. 
Very  pleasant  men. 

God  bless  you  all  and  always. 

W.  S.  A. 

September  lo,  igoo. 

Gattrell  has  been  here  but  I  was  out.  Your  present  was 
beautiful,  appropriate  and  opportune.  Many  thanks  and  em- 
braces also  to  Anna  and  dear  Willie.  Everything  is  needed 
and  in  order.  I  can  barely  get  along  with  what  I  have.  You 
see  we  left  the  Methodist  Episcopal  compound  with  what  we 
could  carry  in  our  hands  and  we  had  to  take  food.  I  am  so 
sorry  you  have  had  the  terrible  anxieties  concerning  me  and 
had  really  given  me  up.  I  am  very  much  alive  and  have  been 
all  the  time.  We  should  have  been  exterminated  with  a  brave 
foe,  but  the  Chinese  however  numerous  will  not  attack  several 
hundred  armed  men.  At  the  Roman  Catholic  cathedral  after 
a  wide  breach  was  made  in  the  walls  the  Chinese  were  too 
cowardly  to  enter,  though  there  were  only  four  rifles  to  oppose 
them.  Then  we  must  not  leave  out  our  providential  protection. 
A  mine  has  been  discovered,  which  by  some  unexampled 
stupidity  ran  in  the  wrong  direction  and  if  exploded  would 
have  killed  their  own  men.  Did  the  Lord  confuse  their  minds 
and  blind  their  eyes  ?  Our  missionaries  in  Pao  Ting  Fu  and 
Shansi  have  been  killed,  also  Dr.  Taylor  and  others  whom  you 
have  not  met.  The  final  reports  will  fill  the  world  with  horror. 
The  Japanese  section  of  the  city  is  most  prosperous.  Orientals 
understand  each  other.  I  may  lead  a  punitive  expedition  to  San 
Ho  and  Shun  Yi  in  a  few  days.  Two  of  our  people  have  been 
chopped  up  lately.  Murders  are  going  on  continually.  Sol- 
diers must  go  to  the  country  and  scatter  the  Boxers.  Stelle 
has  gone  to  Japan.  He  must  have  a  change.  I  am  well  and 
getting  in  food  for  our  people  during  the  winter.  Cheer  up 
and  keep  brave;  a  better  day  is  at  hand. 

Must  haste, 

W.  S.  A, 


FLOTSAM  AND  JETSAM  IN  PEKING     207 

Peking,  Sept.  i8,  igoo. 
The  war  is  by  no  means  over  and  there  are  Boxers  gathering 
between  here  and  Cho  Chou,  and  to-day  or  to-morrow  there 
will  be  fighting.     The  English   soldiers  are  waiting  for  the 
Boxers  to  get  as  many  together  as  possible  and  make  a  big 
slaughter.     Twenty  miles  from  Peking  in  almost  any  direction 
you  can  find  Boxers  in  abundance.     Our  soldiers  are  wonder- 
fully  quiet,  but  I   think  there  will   be   aggressive  movement 
before  long.     The  Misses  Wyckoff  are  coming  to  stay  with  us 
after  Mrs.  Mateer  and  Miss  Haven  go  away.     They  leave  in 
two  days  for  Tientsin.     Dr.  Mateer  is  rather  impatient.     The 
Tung-chow  people  have  to  leave  their  fine  residence,  as  the 
Russians  want  it.     I  am  glad  we  are  in  a  place  the  Russians 
cannot  covet.     We  are  getting  in  provisions  for  the  winter. 
I  have  been  absent  on  an   expedition  for  five  days.     No 
letter   on  my   return.     Captain    Forsythe   and   two   hundred 
cavalry  troops  went— I  as  guide  and  interpreter— to  Sha  Ho  and 
other   places   east  of  Peking.     We  burned  two  Boxer  head- 
quarters, destroyed  some  arms  and  brought  in  sixteen  refugees, 
Christians  who  had  been  in  hiding.     It  was  a  hard  trip  for  me 
and  I  was  worked  in  looking  up  the  road  and  getting  food  for 
the  troops  up  to  the  limit  of  my  strength.     Crossing  rivers  is  a 
serious  matter  at  this  season  of  the  year.     The  Boxers  ran  like 
wild  deer  from  us,  and   w^e  found  it  impossible  to  catch  them 
in  the  high  grain.     The  expedition  did  great  good  in  stilling 
the  people  and  causing  bad   people  to  fear  and  good  people 
could  see  how  well  our  soldiers  behaved  when  on  the  trip. 
Am  called  away  to  see  about  Swedish  missionaries  murdered 
in  Shansi.     Many  were  killed  en  route  to  Kalgan. 

About  the  27th  of  September  the  bric-a-brac  and  other 
valuables  found  in  the  Mongol  compound  now  occupied 
were  offered  for  sale  for  the  benefit  of  the  destitute 
Christians.  The  sales  amounted  to  about  fifteen  hundred 
taels,  a  small  amount  considered  pro  rata  to  the  several 
hundred  refugees  that  were  being  cared  for.  Among 
those  who  shared  in  the  hospitality  of  Dr.  Ament  was  the 
correspondent  of  the  Sun.  At  the  time  it  was  impos- 
sible to  get  foreign  foods,  so  much  needed,  except  through 
the  army  commiss?bry.    The  correspondent  through  the 


208  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

courtesy  of  the  army  could  draw  for  such  foods  as  were 
needed,  which  proved  a  great  help  at  the  time. 

The  political  situation  was  very  uncertain.  The  Eus- 
sian  forces  had  been  suddenly  withdrawn,  with  an  ulterior 
object,  and  the  American  troops  were  also  withdrawn. 
But  fifteen  thousand  Germans  were  coming  in  and  the 
Japanese  would  remain. 

Miss  RusselFs  narrative  continued  : 

The  conditions  existing  in  Peking  during  that  autumn  re- 
mind me  of  what  Paris  was  at  the  time  of  the  French  Revolu- 
tion. After  the  Christians  had  been  sought  out  by  a  house  to 
house  inspection,  there  came  a  time  of  blackmail  and  revenge. 
This  was  so  great  that  the  government  appointed  certain  places 
where  alone  people  should  be  tried.  So  great  was  the  disorder 
that  all  weddings  were  either  put  off,  or  conducted  with  little 
ceremony,  which  was  also  true  of  funerals.  Many  besides  for- 
eigners were  glad  to  have  the  soldiers  from  abroad. 

Day  after  day  Dr.  Ament  held  an  impromptu  court.  Men 
from  villages  who  had  been  guilty  of  destroying  either  chapels, 
or  the  homes  of  the  Christians,  came  to  him.  It  was  as  good 
as  a  theatre  to  see  him  administer  justice,  and  there  were  many 
ludicrous  scenes.  He  was  like  a  father.  Many  of  them  he 
knew  by  name  or  reputation.  Often,  while  we  were  at  meals, 
the  door  would  suddenly  open  and  some  one  would  drop  on  his 
knees,  saying  :  "  Forgive  me,  old  pastor ;  forgive  me."  Some 
he  scolded  roundly,  especially  the  gentry  and  men  who  should 
have  known  better.  He  made  his  settlements  according  to 
Chinese  law,  dealing  directly  with  the  offenders,  saving  thereby 
all  costs  of  lawsuits  and  the  extra  squeezes  of  the  underlings. 
This  was  a  method  that  appealed  to  all  the  Chinese  and  they 
felt  that  he  cared  for  them  and  did  not  intend  to  be  hard  upon 
them. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  not  all  of  the  Chinese  who  worked 
with  Dr.  Ament  and  whom  he  trusted  to  carry  out  his  wishes 
were  true  and  upright,  and  there  were  things  that  stirred  him 
to  the  deepest  anger  and  sorrow.  As  early  as  possible  he  went 
to  Cho  Chou  and  Liang  Hsiang.  For  twenty  years  he  had 
gone  back  and  forth  in  this  region  and  knew  the  gentry  and 
leading  men  as  well  as  the  officials.  He  was  thus  able  to  save 
the  city  from  destruction.     He  found  his  old  friend  the  magis- 


FLOTSAM  AND  JETSAM  IN  PEKING     209 

trate  in  a  state  of  nervous  prostration.  He  saw  the  head  men 
and  advised  them  to  bring  in  the  food  and  grain  which  the 
French  and  Germans  demanded  and  to  help  their  official  in 
every  way. 

The  entire  winter  was  spent  in  the  reestablishing  of  the  Chris- 
tians in  their  homes.  In  every  case  this  was  done  in  such  a 
manner  that  no  root  of  bitterness  was  left  and  not  one  family 
felt  they  could  not  go  back  and  live  with  their  old  neighbors. 
Dr.  Ament  personally  saw  each  family  re-located.  He  called 
on  the  head  men  of  the  village  and  made  them  responsible  for 
peace  and  quiet.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  he  gave  plenty  of 
** sound  words"  to  the  church-members,  and  exhorted  them 
with  many  "good  words."  In  all  this  settlement  he  showed 
that  he  understood  the  Chinese  character,  and  if  any  proofs 
were  needed  they  may  be  seen  in  the  many  beautiful  silk  um- 
brellas and  banners  that  were  presented  to  him.  One  of  the 
hardest  struggles  Dr.  Ament  had  with  himself  and  some  of  his 
flock  was  when  a  noted  Boxer  was  caught  and  brought  to  him 
to  be  handed  over  to  the  Germans.  This  man  had  killed 
eleven  members  of  one  family.  For  a  night  and  a  day  he  was 
kept  bound  in  a  side  room  while  the  pastor  was  seeing  what 
was  best  to  do.  Much  to  the  displeasure  of  the  men  who 
caught  him  Dr.  Ament  told  him  that  if  he  would  pay  enough 
money  to  support  a  young  widow  and  her  little  child  he  would 
spare  him.  This  the  man  agreed  to  and  the  next  day  the 
money  was  brought. 

When  the  allies  came  and  the  siege  was  over  not  one  of  the 
church-members  had  any  way  of  making  a  living.  Their  homes 
and  shops  were  in  ashes,  and  they  had  no  business  in  the  city. 
Knowing  that  the  people,  if  idle,  would  be  in  mischief,  he  set 
to  work  at  once  to  start  them  in  legitimate  business.  The 
country  people  had  to  be  clothed  and  looked  after,  as 
they  could  have  nothing  until  the  next  crops.  Dr.  Ament 
advanced  on  their  indemnity  money  and  thus  tried  to 
get  them  into  normal  conditions.  Thus  it  came  about 
that  long  before  the  church-members  of  other  denominations 
or  places  were  settled,  Dr.  Ament  had  restored  old  conditions 
as  far  as  possible.  This  was  not  an  easy  thing  to  do.  Many 
of  the  country  people  had  never  had  any  amount  of  ready 
money  in  their  hands,  and  on  receiving  their  indemnity  were 
reckless  in  expending  it.  Others  were  wild  to  locate  in  the 
city,  some  wanted  to  go  into  business,  while  some  were  revenge- 


210  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

ful,  and  wanted  an  eye  for  an  eye.  Dr.  Ament,  knowing  their 
inability,  and  the  conditions  of  the  times,  had  to  insist  on  their 
going  back  to  their  farms.  It  took  great  patience  and  tact  to 
bring  this  about.  Many  of  the  women  were  unwiUing  to  go 
back  to  the  hard  Hfe  of  the  farm,  after  a  winter  of  being  cared 
for  in  the  city.  Some  of  the  men  would  not  take  his  advice, 
and  lost  all  they  had  in  their  unwise  investments. 

In  the  midst  of  all  this  care,  when  he  was  weary  in  body  and 
mind,  there  came  like  a  thunderbolt  the  article  by  Mark 
Twain  in  the  North  Ainerican  Review.  I  remember  that 
that  day  I  went  to  his  study  on  a  matter  of  business,  and  found 
him  sitting- at  his  desk,  as  if  stricken  at  the  heart.  I  exclaimed, 
**  What  is  it  ?  Are  you  ill  ?  "  **  If  I  am  what  that  man  says,  I 
am  not  fit  for  you  to  speak  to  me  !  I  feel  as  though  I  should 
go  off  and  hide  myself  in  a  cave  in  the  mountain,  never  again 
to  be  seen  of  man."  I  thought  he  had  gone  out  of  his  head 
with  all  his  cares,  and  I  replied,  ''What  you  need  is  rest  and 
a  doctor,  and  I  am  going  to  send  for  one."  If  the  writer  of 
that  article  could  have  seen  how  he  suffered  he  would  have  felt 
that  every  cent  he  received  for  that  article  would  be  a  red  hot 
coal  of  fire.  A  brave,  masterful  man  he  was,  ever  ready 
to  relieve,  not  to  add  to  the  sum  of  human  suffering,  and 
while  in  some  things  he  may  have  been  unwise,  his  mistakes, 
whatever  they  may  have  been,  were  of  the  head  and  not  the 
heart. 

With  great  patience  he  searched  out  all  that  could  be  found 
of  the  martyred  church -members.  The  remains  or  ashes  were 
gathered  and  services  were  arranged  for.  Dr.  Ament  all  his 
life  believed  in  settling  all  questions  according  to  their  indi- 
vidual merits,  and  at  this  time  there  were  no  wholesale  deci- 
sions in  regard  to  those  who  were  weak  in  the  faith.  Those  who 
had  recanted  were  sought  out,  and  each  one  was  helped  or  re- 
proved as  it  seemed  best  to  the  pastor.  Not  once  in  all  the  set- 
tlements did  I  see  one  thing  that  looked  like  revenge.  He 
gave  himself  for  all  alike,  in  and  out  of  the  church.  Is  it  any 
wonder  the  people  said,  ''  He  loved  the  Chinese  "  ?  The  past 
eight  years  he  has  worked  to  strengthen  them,  making  them 
more  and  more  feel  that  the  church  is  their  own,  and  trying  to 
encourage  to  stronger  growth  the  desire  for  self-support. 
Last  autumn,  in  speaking  of  his  feeling  that  his  work 
for  China  was  over  he  said,  ''I  have  worked  for  one 
thing    in   my   missionary   life   and   that   is  to  establish   self- 


DR.  AMENT  RECEIVING  VILLAGE  DEPUTATION 


FLOTSAM  AND  JETSAM  IN  PEKING     211 

supporting  churches  as  far  as  possible,  or  at  least  to 
get  that  idea  implanted  strongly  so  that  with  time  and  the 
natural  growth  they  will  come  of  themselves  to  desire  self-sup- 
port." Dr.  Ament  established  seventeen  of  the  twenty-two 
churches  connected  with  the  Peking  station.  These  little 
churches  were  as  dear  to  his  soul  as  children  to  a  parent.  He 
knew  the  names  of  all. — men,  women  and  children.  Many 
were  the  problems  which  awaited  him  in  his  country  visits, 
some  easy  of  solution,  but  others,  owing  to  jealousy,  or  a  desire 
to  save  one's  face,  required  the  utmost  tact  and  patience.  One 
of  his  deacons  said,  "Dr.  Ament  would  reprove  us  severely, 
but  no  man  ever  went  away  in  anger.  He  would  always  put 
his  hand  on  the  man's  shoulder  and  say,  '  Come,  let  us  pray 
about  this,'  and  in  his  heart,  whether  the  man  did  what  Dr. 
Ament  wanted  him  to  do  or  not,  he  always  went  away  wishing 
he  could  be  as  good  as  the  pastor  wanted  him  to  be."  One  of 
the  native  pastors,  using  a  Chinese  simile,  said,  **  Dr.  Ament 
always  gave  a  man  a  chance  to  get  off  the  stage  if  he  had  done 
wrong.  He  never  let  a  man  go  away  feeling  he  had  Most 
face. '  "  Dr.  Ament  felt  that  the  best  was  none  too  good  to  give  to 
the  country  people.  He  sought  to  interest  them  in  newspapers, 
in  all  new  lines  of  agricultural  development,  and  in  all  things 
that  might  open  their  minds  and  add  to  their  prosperity  and 
happiness.  His  knowledge  of  the  Chinese  classics  and  history, 
his  admiration  for  their  heroes,  all  made  him  a  welcome  guest 
either  for  the  official  and  literary  classes  or  in  the  humble  homes 
of  the  common  people.  His  magic  lantern  was  always  his 
companion,  and  the  joy  and  delight  it  brought  to  the  people  in 
the  country  who  never  had  such  treats  can  best  be  imagined. 
It  was  always  a  trial  to  him  not  to  see  things  moving ;  the  nat- 
ural inertness  of  the  Chinese  in  the  country  wore  on  him  and 
yet  he  had  large  charity  for  them.  As  a  pastor,  he  knew  his 
people.  They  were  dear  to  him  and  he  to  them.  He  might 
speak  of  their  shortcomings,  but  woe  to  the  other  man  who  did. 
The  man  or  woman  who  was  down,  or  from  whom  others  turned, 
were  his  special  care.  He  knew  how  to  be  a  true  friend,  and 
sought  to  find  the  best  in  a  man  and  cultivate  that  into  a  living 
power  transforming  the  life. 

*'  Came  the  whisper,  came  the  vision,  came  the  power  with  the  need. 
Till  the  soul  that  is  not  man's  soul  was  lent  to  him  to  lead." 


Ask  God  to  give  the  skill 

For  comfort's  art. 
That  thou  may'st  consecrated  be, 

And  set  apart 
Unto  a  life  of  sympathy 
For  heavy  is  the  vi^eight  of  ill 

For  every  heart, 
And  comforters  are  needed  much 

Of  Christ-like  touch. 


XV 

WHEN  WARS  CEASE 

Fekifig,  Oct.  75,  igoo. 
My  dear  Mary  : 

Your  letter  of  September  4th  just  in.  I  now  find  that 
letters  written  the  first  part  of  June  did  not  get  through  to 
Tientsin.  I  wrote  almost  every  day  and  did  everything  I 
could  to  keep  you  informed.  Your  telegrams  did  not  reach 
me  and  no  private  telegram  could  be  sent  from  this  end.  I 
have  been  as  anxious  as  you,  but  it  does  no  good  to  worry. 

Two  columns  of  soldiers,  French  and  English,  have  gone 
to  Pao  Ting  Fu  and  that  city  will  be  punished.  /  leave  on 
Monday  or  Tuesday  for  Cho  Chou,  takuig  back  church-mem- 
bers and  settling  them.  If  Wilder  can  come  here,  you  may 
see  me  at  home  next  spring.  No  aggressive  work  can  be  done 
now  and  I  may  as  well  leave  as  not.  Only  the  Christians  must 
be  settled  and  claims  paid  in  some  way  first.  Boxers  are  get- 
ting their  deserts  in  many  places.  A  letter  from  the  Cho 
Chou  magistrate  says  he  has  a  large  place  on  the  ?nain  street 
to  give  me.  The  French  soldiers  are  in  Cho  Chou,  and  I  am 
afraid  the  place  has  been  severely  punished.  Several  Catho- 
lics were  killed  there.  Li  Hung  Chang  is  in  the  city  but  there 
is  no  light  on  the  situation.  Reported  punishment  of  Prince 
Tuan  is  false.  American  policy  is  too  weak  and  does  not  help 
solve  problems. 

Cho  Chou,  Oct.  18,  igoo. 
To  Mrs.  Ament  : 

I  reached  here  to-day  quite  worn  out.  I  have  not  been 
well  for  some  days.  The  Cho  Chou  people  were  glad  to  see 
me,  and  the  gentry  gave  me  quite  a  reception.  They  think  it 
was  my  words  that  kept  the  foreign  soldiers  from  burning  the 

212 


WHEN  WARS  CEASE  213 

city.  Perhaps  it  was.  I  spoke  to  the  advance  guard  and  told 
them  tliat  the  magistrate  was  a  good  man  and  pro-foreign.  It 
would  take  volumes  to  tell  of  my  settling  Boxer  matters.  Box- 
ers are  all  scattered  but  their  ravages  are  seen  on  every  hand. 
To-morrow  I  am  to  pick  out  a  place  from  Boxer  property  for  a 
new  chapel  for  us.  The  Boxers  in  Cho  Chou  were  not  so  much 
for  killing  as  for  making  money.  Some  of  our  members  are  re- 
duced to  poverty  by  paying  fines.  In  Pu  An  Tun  where  they 
wanted  to  kill  me,  I  have  cleared  the  idols  out  of  the  temple  used 
by  the  Boxers  and  will  turn  it  into  a  chapel. 

The  magistrate  here  called  on  me  to-day,  before  I  had  rested 
up  to  go  and  see  him.  I  reside  at  present  in  a  Kung  Kuan,  or 
public  cafe.  My  reception  was  quite  royal.  The  gentry  came 
out  to  meet  me  and  sent  presents  of  fruits,  etc.  I  looked  over 
the  list  of  names  of  donors  and  crossed  off  the  Boxers.  This 
made  a  panic  and  I  am  told  they  want  to  pay  to  be  let  off  from 
my  wrath  !  I  am  pastor  and  judge  at  once.  It  was  pitiful  to 
see  some  of  my  people  cry  on  seeing  me.  Some  of  them  said 
they  would  have  gladly  died  could  they  have  seen  me  first. 
Some  of  them  were  hid  in  holes  for  two  months  and  others 
spent  nights  and  days  in  the  fields.  It  was  a  mercy  that  it  was 
summer  and  the  grain  was  high,  otherwise  many  could  not 
have  hid.  It  will  take  several  visits  to  straighten  out  all  affairs. 
Twenty  Boxers  have  been  beheaded  by  the  French  soldiers 
who  patrolled  this  region  and  others  driven  away,  and  property 
confiscated.  We  are  not  through  with  them  yet.  The  devil 
overdid  himself  this  time  in  this  masterpiece.  It  will  recoil  on 
his  own  head.  No  religion  ever  had  such  an  advertisement  as 
ours  has  had.  I  could  open  the  doors  and  take  in  multitudes. 
I  imagine  our  faithful  ones  will  still  be  among  the  poor.  My 
pony  went  lame  and  I  had  to  walk.  I  have  no  appetite,  only  a 
sense  of  weakness.  Always  expect  the  best  until  you  know  the 
worst.  Take  cheerful  views  and  think  of  your  old  husband 
who  pines  for  a  sight  of  you. 


University  Club,  Fifth  Avemie  and  54th  St. 

Neiv  York,  Oct.  22,  igoo. 
My  dear  Sir  : 

I  have  just  been  reading  Dr.  Morrison's  letter  to  the 
London  Times  in  which  he  gives  you  a  deserved  credit  for 
your  daring  and  humane  work  in  the  relief  of  the  missionaries 


214  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

at  Tung-chow.  While  I  am  not  sure  that  I  met  you,  although 
I  Hke  to  believe  I  did,  when  in  Peking  about  a  year  ago,  I 
still  want  to  write  you  a  line  of  cordial  thanks  and  congratula- 
tions over  your  exploits,  on  the  occasion  referred  to  and  other- 
wise. Men  like  you  not  only  hold  up  the  name  and  repute  of 
Americans  abroad,  but,  on  professional  sides,  do  vast  good  for 
the  missionary  cause  in  China  and  at  large.  To  you  perhaps 
your  work  was  done  as  a  simple  duty,  but  you  did  it  while 
others  held  back,  and  when,  in  fact,  it  was  a  daring  effort. 

I  would  be  obliged  to  you  for  a  hne  at  some  time,  if  only  to 
establish  a  more  intimate  relation  with  a  man  of  your  stamp. 
You  may  identify  me  as  the  counsel  to  the  American  China 
Development  Company,  who  was  in  Peking  last  October  and 
November,  on  the  affairs  of  the  Hankow-Canton  Railway.  I 
think  I  was  introduced  to  you  by  Dr.  Lowry,  whom  I  have 
since  met  here.  I  know  I  have  met  Mr,  Gamewell,  who  also 
appears  to  have  done  good  work  and  to  whom  please  give  my 
congratulations.  You  appear  to  have  rescued  Mr.  Smith,  the 
author  of  the  ''Chinese  Characteristics."  If  so,  you  did  a 
good  thing  for  the  world  at  large,  if  only  in  this  regard. 

Again  with  cordial  regards,  and  best  wishes,  I  remain,  my 
dear  sir, 

Faithfully  yours, 

Clarence  Carv. 

Nan  Meng,  Thursday  evening. 

(No  date  to  this ;  probably  in  November,  after  the  visit  at 
Cho  Chou— about  the  17th.) 
Dear  Mr.  Stelle  : 

Thanks  for  your  letter  and  the  reassuring  tone.  I  am 
glad  things  are  O.  K.  in  Peking.  In  Wen  An  and  Pao  Ting  I 
have  simply  had  a  splendid  time.  The  officials  and  people  are 
grateful  for  everything  and  the  affairs  of  the  church  are  ami- 
cably settled.  The  Pa  Chou  magistrate  talked  very  well  on 
my  way  down,  but  I  find  that  it  is  all  talk.  I  delay  here  to- 
morrow to  see  him  again  and  talk  justice  straight  at  him.  I 
cannot  palaver  much  longer. 

There  is  to  be  the  greatest  opportunity  in  these  regions  for 
the  Gospel  that  the  world  has  ever  seen.  The  time  is  ripe  and 
the  need  imperative.  Men  should  be  planted  at  once  in  these 
regions.  Your  prayer  was  answered  as  to  a  pleasant  Sabbath. 
I  spent  the  day  in  Nan  Meng  and  we  had  sweet  times  together. 


WHEN  WARS  CEASE  215 

We  had  a  memorial  of  their  Pastor  Hung.     Many  eyes  were 
wet  as  we  recounted  what  he  had  done  for  the  people. 

I  saw  Mrs.  Hung  and  she  thinks  that  she  and  the  children 
will  come  to  Peking  next  week.  Six  hundred  and  eighty 
Christians  and  Catholics  were  killed  in  Jen  Ch'iu  District,  and 
the  priests  have  fined  the  region  750,000  strings  of  cash,  about 
a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars,  gold, — a  huge  sum  for  them  to 
pay. 

I  wish  Miss  Russell  would  write  a  few  lines  to  my  wife  to  fill 
in  the  gap ;  as  I  have  no  ink  or  pen  I  cannot  write  to  her.  I 
have  suffered  from  the  cold.  I  tear  along  on  my  horse  and 
then  wait  for  the  cart  in  a  sheltered  nook.  Our  great  need  is 
for  trained  men  to  put  into  the  field.  We  ought  to  have  one 
in  every  market  town.  I  have  arranged  for  two  new  chapels  in 
Wen  An  and  Fao  Ting  cities  and  we  are  back  in  the  old 
chapel  in  Nan  Meng.  I  hope  to  spend  Sunday  in  Cho  Chou 
and  reach  home  Tuesday  or  Wednesday.  I  have  thought  the 
street  sprinkling  need  not  be  contracted  for  now  that  it  freezes. 

Yours  fraternally, 

W.  S.  A. 


Peking^  Nov.  4,  igoo. 
My  dear  Mary  : 

Every  hour  brings  nearer  the  time  when  I  shall  see  your 
face  again.  That  thought  fills  me  with  a  sublime  contentment, 
so  that  I  can  wait  patiently  for  a  few  paltry  days  that  remain  to 
pass.  Only  those  who  have  had  our  separation  can  know  the 
exaltation  of  our  joy  in  reunion.  Roberts  has  been  written  to 
and  as  he  is  in  good  health  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  will  come 
and  give  me  a  vacation.  I  am  needing  one  now.  Jaundice 
claims  me  for  its  own  and  will  not  loosen  its  grip  on  me. 
Dr.  H.  H.  Lowry  told  our  people  that  I  ought  to  be  sent  right 
away.  Of  course  our  people  must  be  established  in  some  way 
before  it  would  be  right  for  me  to  leave.  I  do  not  see  much 
light  in  the  general  settlement  of  the  country.  In  fact  it  looks 
as  if  there  might  be  some  more  uprising  and  foreign  soldiers 
may  have  to  scour  the  country  for  the  malcontents.  The 
Chinese  are  so  stupid  that  they  will  not  believe  in  the  power  of 
foreigners  until  they  feel  the  strong  blow  on  their  shoulders. 

I  have  now  a  very  convenient  desk  and  a  sunny  corner  in 
which  to  sit  and  write^  as  I  have  only  three  books  to  my  name, 


216  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

except  the  Bible.  These  books  by  Professor  Jordan  were  sent 
to  me  by  Professor  Lyman  of  Shanghai.  We  have  service  in 
Chinese  with  no  hymn-books  and  no  Bibles.  Four  Bibles  have 
been  received  from  Tientsin  and  these  with  the  books  which 
the  Christians  have  dug  from  their  gardens  constitute  our 
library.  Already  we  are  enlarging  our  chapel  and  if  all  goes 
well  we  shall  yet  see  our  best  days  in  mission  work.  Pao  Yu 
[his  table  boy]  has  just  learned  the  particulars  of  the  death  of 
his  mother  and  Mrs.  Tuan, — two  Bible  women.  They  were 
cut  to  pieces  outside  the  Ha  Ta  Gate,  and  the  man  who  knew 
them  risked  his  life  in  burying  them. 

There  is  a  report  that  the  Empress  Dowager  has  killed  her- 
self. At  Hsi  An  Fu  the  conditions  were  all  unfavorable.  The 
Mohammedans  were  threatening  a  rebellion  in  her  immediate 
vicinity  and  a  famine  was  on  hand.  Her  trusted  advisers 
turned  out  to  be  the  real  enemies  of  the  state,  and  foreign  pow- 
ers were  making  serious  demands  for  the  punishment  of  her 
friends.  Her  outlook  was  gloomy.  No  one  could  sympathize 
with  her.  It  is  possible  she  is  still  living,  but  if  she  is  gone 
the  settling  of  the  affairs  of  the  country  will  be  far  more  easy. 

I  have  two  stoves  in  which  I  burn  coal  balls,  and  a  foreign 
stove  in  which  I  burn  wood.  I  keep  comfortable  and  have 
nothing  to  complain  of  in  material  surroundings.  I  have  a 
good  pony  and  two  good  mules  which  I  do  not  consider  my 
personal  property.  These  and  many  others  were  turned  out  on 
the  street  by  owners,  as  they  had  no  grain  to  feed  them.  To- 
morrow an  agent  from  Li  Hung  Chang  comes  to  me  to  talk 
over  plans  for  the  settlement  of  church  affairs.  The  Chinese 
are  beginning  to  realize  that  missions  have  some  concern  with 
their  prosperity  and  that  their  best  friends  are  missionaries.  I 
think  most  of  the  remaining  cases  can  be  settled  without  my 
working  so  hard.  Dr.  Sheffield  took  supper  with  us.  Wish 
you  could  do  the  same. 

Peking,  Nov.  14,  igoo. 
Dear  Mary  : 

I  am  very  sober  over  what  I  hear  as  to  the  behavior  of 
the  German  soldiers  in  Cho  Chou.  They  behave  more  like 
demons  than  men.  The  city  had  been  fairly  well  punished. 
Boxers  had  been  decapitated.  Others  had  been  fined  and 
passing  troops  had  taken  grain  and  animals  to  eat  it.  Then 
these  Germans  come  along,  with  no  right,  as  it  is  really  French 


WHEN  WARS  CEASE  217 

territory,  and  strip  the  people  of  even  the  clothes  they  wear, 
and  it  is  cold  weather.  To-morrow  I  shall  see  Mr.  Conger  and 
secure  his  interference  on  the  ground  that  these  Germans  robbed 
my  premises  (in  Cho  Chou).  We  hear  nothing  of  peace  ne- 
gotiations. Perhaps  you  know  more  than  we  do.  I  am  sur- 
prised that  Peking  is  recovering  as  rapidly  as  it  is  from  the 
ravages  of  Boxers  and  foreign  soldiers.  The  streets  in  some 
places  are  as  animated  as  ever  and  business  is  prospering. 
Whether  or  not  the  grain  will  hold  out  till  spring  I  do  not 
know.  I  have  quite  a  stock  of  rice  on  hand,  but  I  am  pro- 
posing to  keep  it.  To-morrow  I  go  with  Stelle  and  others  into 
the  forbidden  city  on  General  Chaffee's  permit.  More  Ameri- 
cans are  seen  drunk  than  other  nationalities  and  in  many 
ways  our  soldiers  are  a  disgrace  to  the  republic.  I  have  been 
protecting  villages  from  our  soldiers.  The  villagers  are  very 
grateful.  Dr.  Sheffield  is  opening  up  his  schools,  also  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  people. 

It  will  be  interestiDg  at  this  point  to  refer  to  the  ar- 
raDgements  for  the  Tang-chow  missionaries  and  the 
church -members  of  that  station.  Mr.  Tewksbury,  with 
like  efficiency  to  that  shown  by  Dr.  Ament,  had  at  once 
discovered  a  large  palace  which  had  been  partially  looted 
by  the  Russians.  It  belonged  to  the  family  Yii,  and  was 
known  as  Yii-wang-fu,  palace  of  the  Prince  Yii.  The 
father  had  died  and  there  remained  the  little  princelet 
and  his  mother  with  other  members  of  the  family.  The 
place  was  accepted  by  Mr.  Conger  as  suitable  for  the 
large  company  of  missionaries  and  members  from  Tung- 
chow.  They  left  the  British  Legation  at  once  and  found 
a  comfortable  quarter  in  the  many  courts  of  this  fine 
place.  It  was  about  half-way  between  the  legation  and 
Teng  Shih  K^ou,  on  one  of  the  narrower  lanes.  Ere  long, 
in  the  general  division  of  the  city  into  quarters  and  the 
assignment  of  these  quarters  to  the  several  national  com- 
manders, the  east  side  of  the  Tartar  city  was  divided 
between  the  Italians  and  the  Russians.  The  southern 
half  of  this  section  was  assigned  to  the  former.     As  soon 


218  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

as  the  Italian  commander  received  his  assignment,  he 
found  it  desirable  to  ask  for  the  Yii-wang-fu  for  his 
officers.  Mr.  Tewksbury  ere  long  found  a  most  con- 
venient palace  for  rent  somewhat  to  the  west  and  north 
of  Teng  Shih  K'ou,  known  as  the  Chao  Kung  Fu.  It  had 
been  for  many  years  the  residence  of  the  brother  of  the 
Empress  Dowager,  whose  family  name  was  Chao.  The 
record  of  the  few  years  following  the  Boxer  troubles  will 
show  few  such  interesting  incidents  as  that  of  the  change 
of  feeling  in  the  Chao  family  and  even  in  the  Empress 
Dowager  in  view  of  this  close  contact  with  the  foreign 
mission  work. 

Peking^  Nov.  28,  igoo. 
Dear  Mary  : 

Just  back  from  Liang  Hsiang.  It  is  cold  weather  and  I 
have  not  yet  received  my  skin  overcoat.  Yet  I  get  along  and 
have  not  suffered  from  the  cold.  Villains  abound  in  Liang 
Hsiang.  Scamps  are  selling  permits  from  foreigners  under 
false  pretenses.  Others  are  fining  the  people  for  supposed  rob- 
bery of  the  railroad  ;  then  the  Catholic  church  comes  in  and 
claims  indemnity  for  Boxer  outrages  and  the  magistrate  must 
borrow  money  to  assist  him  to  entertain  foreign  soldiers. 
Surely  their  condition  calls  for  sympathy  and  I  think  all  will 
agree  that  I  am  doing  what  I  can  to  make  their  position  easier. 
The  worst  of  it  is  that  the  miscreants  under  the  flag  of  the 
Catholic  Church  are  collecting  money  from  the  people.  With 
the  aid  of  a  Catholic  priest  and  twenty-five  soldiers,  French, 
thirteen  men  were  shot  in  Tou  Tien  including  one  church- 
member.  He  had  been  warned  that  his  course  would  lead  into 
trouble,  but  he  continued  and  his  life  pays  the  penalty.  I 
want  to  hasten  down  to  Cho  Chou  where  doubtless  another 
member  will  lose  his  life  for  his  crimes. 

The  news  is  that  peace  negotiations  have  broken  off  and  an 
expedition  will  be  organized  to  go  to  Hsi  An  Fu  and  bring  the 
Empress  if  she  can  be  brought. 

Germans  and  French  are  harrying  the  country  and  the  peo- 
ple are  ground  between  the  upper  and  the  nether  millstones 
which  they  set  up  themselves.  Most  of  them  acknowledge 
their  stupidity  but  it  is  rather  late  in  the  day.     To-morrow  I 


WHEN  WARS  CEASE  219 

am  off  for  Cho  Chou  and  Wen  An  and  Fan  Chia  Chuang  where 
Old  Fan  was  killed,  and  where  the  helpers  find  it  difficult  to 
settle  matters  alone.  Back  from  there  I  go  to  Shun  Yi  and 
thus  I  trust  all  the  country  work  will  be  settled.  Then  before 
the  Chinese  year  I  expect  the  work  in  the  country  will  be  in 
running  order  and  I  can  sniff  home  in  the  air.  You  know  I 
can  work  hard  and  ride  swiftly  when  I  am  going  towards  home. 
Blessed  words  !  Mrs.  Sheffield  is  expected  in  a  day  or  two. 
I  am  getting  a  warm  riding-jacket  from  the  British  commissary. 
I  am  in  good  health  and  travel  mostly  on  horseback.  I  have  a 
swift  mule  for  the  cart  and  a  very  fine  pony  to  ride.  I  have  a 
soldier's  cot  to  sleep  on  and  it  is  strong  and  comfortable.  If  I 
had  a  colleague  the  work  would  speedily  be  closed  up,  but 
everything  has  to  come  to  me  for  settlement  and  the  questions 
are  many.     I  will  try  and  write  you  from  the  country. 

Peking  J  Jan.  i,  igoi. 
My  dear  Mary: 

All  the  dear  ones,  a  Happy  New  Year.  The  day  and 
the  year  open  auspiciously  in  every  respect.  It  is  bright  and 
clear,  an  omen  for  better  things  for  this  distracted  empire. 
The  conditions  of  peace  are  reported  accepted  by  the  Chinese 
with  no  exceptions  taken.  We  are  all  invited  to  call  on 
General  Chaffee  from  eleven  o'clock  to  one.  There  have  been 
some  fresh  outbreaks  in  the  country,  especially  those  visited  by 
the  foreign  troops  and  not  properly  punished.  You  may  not 
know  that  I  led  a  troop  of  horsemen  through  San  Ho  District, 
and  because  I  wanted  certain  Boxers  hunted  out  and  punished 
I  was  spoken  of  as  vindictive  and  bloodthirsty.  Now  it  comes 
out  that  this  expedition  has  to  be  repeated,  because  of  the 
softness  of  the  Americans  in  dealing  with  the  Chinese ! 

A  newspaper  is  to  be  started  and  Mr.  Cowen,  the  editor, 
wants  all  our  printers.  He  seems  a  pleasant  man  and  it  seems 
a  good  opportunity  for  our  men,  some  of  whom  are  out  of 
employment.  All  Legation  Street  is  reserved  for  foreigners, 
and  no  Chinese  allowed.  Our  legation  is  greatly  enlarged,  as 
are  all  the  others.  Last  evening  for  some  officers'  guests,  we 
had  native  acrobats  and  magicians.  We  were  all  surprised  at 
their  skill.  They  were  remarkably  successful.  One  of  the 
men  would  make  a  fortune  in  the  United  States  in  a  short 
time.  They  have  gone  to  Tung-chow  to-day  for  the  soldiers 
there  at  Stelle's  expense.     Our  soldiers  are  in  need  of  amuse- 


220  AVILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

ment.  The  canteens  are  too  generously  patronized  and  two 
murders  have  taken  place.  The  Germans  are  the  best  drilled 
men  in  Peking  and  easily  take  the  prizes.  However,  our 
cavalry  beats  them  all.  1  hope  to  go  to  Tientsin  to-morrow 
for  a  little  change.  Your  old  husband  hopes  that  our  little 
family  may  have  a  rich  and  glorious  year  at  the  top  of  this  new 
century.  May  kind  Providence  allow  me  to  see  you  before  its 
close.     Now,  for  General  Chaffee's  reception. 

January  6,  1901. — Sunday  morning,  the  first  Sabbath  of  the 
new  year.  I  returned  last  evening,  with  Miss  Wyckoff,  from 
Tientsin.  We  had  a  miserable,  cold  ride  on  the  train,  taking 
eight  hours  to  make  eighty  miles.  Our  first  snow  is  on  the 
ground.  I  had  a  pleasant  visit  in  Tientsin  and  lectured  on 
Chinese  history  to  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  mostly  soldiers  present,  a 
goodly  company.  I  felt  like  a  boy  let  loose  from  school,  spent 
money  freely,  bought  stove,  new  cap,  boots  for  riding,  etc. 

To  reach  the  train  and  to  leave  it  are  the  quintessence  of 
inconvenience.  It  is  all  for  the  military,  and  civilians  have 
no  rights.  Russians  squeeze  you  on  one  hand  and  Germans 
on  the  other,  and  you  are  helpless.  Dr.  Arthur  Smith  has 
been  elected  pastor  of  Union  Church  and  is  doing  good  work. 
Prayer-meetings  are  well  attended.  Mrs.  Smith  still  dis- 
tributes tracts  to  foreigners  and  Chinese  alike  on  the  streets. 
Wilder  has  taken  hold  of  the  native  work  so  that  Tientsin  was 
never  in  so  good  condition.  We  shall  observe  the  Week  of 
Prayer.  Pen  Yuan  has  prepared  a  program,  though  there  will 
be  no  union  meetings  of  the  Chinese. 

Good  news  comes  from  the  country  districts.  In  Cho  Chou 
we  are  occupying  our  new  premises  right  in  the  centre  of  the 
city  and  in  Nan  Meng  the  members  are  enlarging  the  area  of 
the  chapel.  I  suppose  the  French  have  reached  Tai  Yuan  Fu, 
and  I  trust  they  are  making  that  miserable  place  smart  for  its 
crimes  against  unarmed  foreigners. 

After  morning  service  Li  Pen  Yuan  preached  a  fine  sermon 
on:  "Lo  I  am  with  you  always."  The  house  was  crowded. 
I  begin  inquirers'  classes  to-morrow  after  the  regular  week  of 
prayer  meeting,  led  by  Deacon  Kuo.  I  think  we  shall  have 
a  fine  series  of  meetings.  I  am  glad  now  I  can  bend  to  the 
legitimate  work  of  the  missionary.  Dr.  Phipps,  Y.  M,  C.  A., 
insists  that  I  must  take  a  regular  service  for  the  soldiers.  So  I 
begin  next  Sunday  evening  and  give  up  my  enjoyment  of 
writing  to  you.     I  trust  your  loss  may  be  their  gain. 


WHEN  WAES  CEASE  221 

Sunday^  Jan,  27,  igoi. 

Dear  Mary  \ 

I  am  doing  what  I  do  not  recall  that  I  ever  did  before, 
remaining  at  home  deliberately  and  missing  all  the  services.  I 
need  the  rest  and  felt  that  it  was  imperative.  You  see  there  is 
no  let  up  for  me.  It  is  a  constant  strain  from  morning  till 
night.  Gilbert  Reid  will  doubtless  give  up  his  scheme  and  en- 
gage in  regular  mission  work.  He  wants  Stelle  to  go  with  him, 
but  he  is  too  late,  as  Stelle's  fortune  is  linked  with  ours  and  he 
would  not  leave  Peking  under  any  consideration.  I  must  make 
one  more  trip  to  Cho  Chou  before  the  [Chinese]  year  closes,  and 
expect  to  set  out  next  Tuesday. 

Peki7ig,  Feb.  11,  1901. 

To  THE  Same: 

I  am  back  from  my  Cho  Chou  trip.  Messrs.  Back- 
house and  Peachey  went  with  me  and  proved  very  interestmg 
and  profitable  companions.  Backhouse  is  from  a  Quaker 
family,  very  rich,  but  he  is  very  democratic  in  spirit  and  has 
set  out  on  a  career  for  himself  as  an  independent  student  of 
Eastern   languages.     Peachey   was   a   student   in   the   British 

Legation.  ^  .    r  •  ^    ^^     j 

The  new  chapel  at  Cho  Chou  is  dedicated  and  is  fairly  lined 
with  the  banners  and  umbrellas  presented  by  the  gentry  and 
officials.  The  whole  city  seemed  to  interest  itself  to  provide 
us  a  good  time.  They  did  this  in  part  to  show  their  regret 
over  a  false  arrest  to  which  we  were  subjected  by  the  French 
and  Germans,  an  account  of  which  may  appear  in  some  of  the 
papers.  There  was  not  the  shadow  of  a  shade  of  a  reason  for 
gathering  me  in.  One  of  the  Chang  boys  was  staying  on  the 
new  premises  and  he  was  wanted  on  the  serious  charge  of 
extorting  money,  which  was  not  sustained  at  his  trial.  Our 
claims  for  indemnity  had  been  long  settled  and  I  was  there  to 
dedicate  the  chapel  and  to  marry  the  poor  boy  whom  the 
French  condemned  to  five  years'  imprisonment,  just  to  save 
their  face  and  to  make  people  think  they  had  a  case. 

In  Cho  Chou  I  baptized  Teacher  T'an  whom  you  may  recall 
as  an  inquirer  of  some  years'  standing.  He  has  taken  a  bold 
stand  as  the  first  one  received  since  the  great  persecution. 
Pastor  Jen  and  the  young  helpers  all  seem  to  be  developing  in 
sohd  graces  of  mind  and  heart.  Who  should  come  in  just 
now  but  Sung  Yu  Tung.     He  was  our  chapel  keeper  and  with 


222  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

his  mother  was  the  last  person  to  leave  our  courts.  They 
managed  to  escape  to  their  old  home  in  Shantung.  I  am  glad 
to  see  him,  as  he  was  a  reliable  fellow.  My  plans  are  not 
definite,  scheming  to  get  home  as  soon  as  possible. 

W.  S.  A. 

Pekingy  Feb.  i8,  igoi. 
My  dear  Mary: 

The  last  day  of  the  [Chinese]  old  year.  I  sincerely  trust 
the  day  of  reconstruction  will  not  forget  the  calendar.  Yester- 
day, Sunday,  was  a  beautiful  day.  I  preached  to  a  crowded 
chapel  and  the  whole  service  seemed  uplifting  and  helpful.  I 
spent  the  afternoon  with  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Sheffield  and  had  a 
good  home  visit  and  spiritual  consolation.  I  reviewed  my 
whole  work  in  collecting  indemnity  and  they  fully  approved 
and  are  prepared  to  defend  the  course  taken.  The  corre- 
spondents who  have  written  were  all  in  the  dark,  and  had 
made  no  proper  inquiries.  I  have  invited  correspondents  to 
come  and  see  what  was  being  done,  but  they  did  not  come.  I 
have  been  very  unjustly  treated  by  these  writers,  and  my 
friends  are  coming  to  the  front  in  defense,  as  all  the  missions 
have  done  the  same  things,  and  all  believe  they  are  right.  So 
also  does  Mr.  Conger,  who  is  our  good  friend.  Do  not  be 
disturbed  by  anything  you  see  in  the  papers.  The  corre- 
spondents jump  on  to  the  missionaries  when  they  are  out  of 
matter,  and  news  has  been  very  scarce  this  winter. 

Dr.  Sheffield  thinks  it  better  for  the  work  that  I  return  home 
now  than  wait  a  little  longer  and  make  my  class  reunion  in 
1902.  He  does  not  think  that  of  sufficient  importance  to 
warrant  any  delay  now.  So  perhaps  in  a  month  or  so  I  shall 
be  on  my  way  home.  I  am  in  good  health  and  cannot  claim  a 
change  on  that  account. 

On  Thursday  next,  Dr.  Edwards  writes  from  Pao  Ting  Fu, 
they  will  try  and  find  the  bodies  of  Miss  Morrill  and  Miss 
Gould  and  properly  bury  them.  They  were  buried  under  the 
debris  of  the  city  wall,  when  it  was  blown  down  by  the 
German  troops.  Dr.  Peck  is  here  and  has  been  requested  to 
go  to  Pao  Ting  Fu  temporarily. 


Let  nothing  disturb  thee ; 

Nothing  affright  thee  ; 
All  things  are  passing; 
God  never  changeth. 

— Longfellow. 

If  you  are  slandered  never  mind  it ; 
it  will  come  off  when  it  is  dry. 

— C.  G.  Finney. 

XVI 
AN  EPISODE  IN  MISSIONARY  EXPERIENCE 

THE  War  Correspondent  in  mission  fields  was  a 
new  thing  under  the  sun.  For  half  a  century 
the  missionary  work  had  gone  on  slowly  bur- 
rowing its  way  into  Chinese  life  and  experience.  No 
special  incident  had  elicited  any  large  interest  in  the  de- 
tails of  mission  work.  But  conditions  were  chang- 
ing. The  Japan-Chinese  war  of  1894-1895  hastened  a 
considerable  number  of  correspondents  to  the  Far  East. 
The  brilliant  efforts  in  China  at  reform  in  1898  served  to 
enhance  a  world-wide  interest,  and  to  bring  the  news- 
paper correspondent  into  a  realm  that  was  new. 

There  was  therefore  nothing  strange,  when  two  years 
later  eight  nations  moved  to  the  rescue  of  their  ministers 
in  Peking,  in  the  coming  of  many  correspondents.  Every 
considerable  newspaper  in  the  United  States  sent  out  a 
writer  to  gather  up  every  item  of  available  news  for  the 
benefit  of  its  readers. 

In  the  early  autumn  of  1900,  our  American  military 
of&cers  were  in  haste  to  leave  !N'orth  China.  They 
had  made  little  effort  to  understand  the  real  con- 
dition of  affairs.  The  burden  thrust  upon  them  had  the 
semblance  of  war,  for  which  there  seemed  to  them  no 
adequate  reason.  It  was  natural  that  the  correspondents 
should  be  much  influenced  by  the  opinions  of  the  army. 

Out  of  this  anomalous  situation  there  arose  an  episode 

223 


224  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

in  Dr.  Ament's  career  demanding  a  detailed  study. 
When  Dr.  Ament  and  Mr.  Tewksbury  entered  the 
Mongol  palace  on  the  16th  of  August,  they  found  one 
dead  body  and  two  little  sleeve  dogs  in  charge.  Deserted 
by  its  owners,  the  Fu  was  secured  as  a  temporary  resi- 
dence for  the  Christian  refugees  of  the  American  Board 
Mission,  of  whom  there  were  two  hundred  and  more  en- 
tirely dependent  upon  Dr.  Ament's  care. 

Here  for  two  years  and  three  months  the  work  of  re- 
cuperation went  on.  In  October,  1902,  the  mission  oc- 
cupied its  own  premises,  rebuilt  and  expanded. 

During  the  siege  and  at  its  close  the  clothing  of  the 
Christian  refugees  had  been  replenished  in  part  by  goods 
gathered  from  within  the  legation  defense  circuit.  The 
better  class  of  goods  had  been  sold  at  auction,  while  the 
inferior  garments  were  distributed  according  to  the  need 
of  the  refugees.  It  had  been  agreed  upon  by  Mr.  Conger 
that  whatever  was  found  in  the  quarters  deserted,  and 
occupied  after  the  siege,  should  be  sold  in  like  manner 
for  the  benefit  of  the  sufferers,  including  those  who  had 
been  driven  from  their  homes  and  had  finally  returned  to 
be  cared  for. 

Thus  it  was  that  all  the  various  goods  found  in  the 
Mongol  palace  were  placed  upon  sale.  Many  of  these 
were  of  considerable  value,  and  Dr.  Ament's  quarters 
became  the  resort  for  a  few  days  of  many  visitors,  civil 
and  military,  who  were  desirous  of  securing  some  memento 
of  the  siege. 

From  the  funds  thus  obtained  and  the  resources  of 
indemnities  which  began  to  be  secured,  a  sufficient  amount 
of  grain  was  purchased  to  carry  the  people  gathered  in 
the  Mongol  Fu  through  the  winter. 

A  second  step  in  settling  the  affairs  of  the  Christians 
followed  closely  upon  that  of  securing  sufficient  food  and 
shelter.     This  was  seen  in  the  visiting  of  the  centres 


AN  EPISODE  225 

where  the  depredations  of  the  Boxers  had  been  most  de- 
structive and  violent.  It  was  desirable  to  find  out  the 
true  conditions  as  early  as  possible,  to  learn  the  amount 
of  devastation  and  to  rescue  any  who  were  still  in  peril. 
The  Boxers  were  still  rife  within  ten  or  fifteen  miles  of 
Peking.  They  were  apparently  unsubdued  by  the  pres- 
ence of  the  foreign  armies.  Many  Christians  were  still 
liable  to  slaughter  and  it  was  not  without  peril  that  any 
foreigner  exposed  himself  freely  in  the  villages.  The 
several  military  commanders  were  constantly  hearing  of 
Boxer  clans  meeting  and  destroying  in  the  villages.  It 
was  necessary  to  send  out  expeditions  to  scour  the 
country  and  break  up  if  possible  the  Boxer  gatherings 
wherever  they  infested  the  villages.  It  is  to  the  credit 
of  the  American  soldiery  that  they  did  not  do  this  work 
in  any  disorganized  way,  but  infrequently,  and  only 
when  it  seemed  absolutely  necessary.  The  French,  the 
Eussians  and  finally  the  Germans,  when  they  had  fully 
arrived,  marauded  the  outlying  districts  indiscriminately, 
looting  and  killing  as  they  pleased,  and  making  exorbitant 
demands  upon  the  people  and  the  officials. 

One  of  the  early  expeditions  of  the  American  soldiers 
was  to  the  northeast  of  Peking  to  the  city  of  Shun  Yi 
Hsien. 

The  American  Board  had  had  in  Shun  Yi  and  in  the 
country  near  at  hand  a  considerable  following.  In  the 
city  itself  there  had  been  for  some  years  a  preaching 
chapel,  and  there  were  no  less  than  sixty-five  commu- 
nicants in  this  out-station.  Of  these  fifty  persons  had 
been  most  brutally  killed,  and  every  remnant  of  chapel 
and  homes  of  the  members  had  been  burned  or  destroyed. 
The  mere  presence  of  the  military  force  had  a  direct  effect, 
however  incidental,  in  the  settlement  of  the  indemnities 
which  came  later.  Dr.  Ament  bears  testimony  to  the 
kindness  and  courtesy  of  Captain  Forsythe,  a  southern 


226  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

gentleman,  and  of  his  troopers.  The  latter  were  in  strik- 
ing contrast  with  the  Eussian  and  French  and  later  the 
German  soldiers,  who  looted  and  killed  on  every  hand, 
often  taking  delight  in  shooting  every  person  visible. 
The  Boxers  themselves,  as  Dr.  Ament  graphically  writes, 
dissolved  like  smoke.  Perhaps  it  was  this  expedition, 
and  the  witness  of  the  paralyzing  effect  of  the  presence 
of  foreign  military  which  determined  Dr.  Ament  not  to 
go  again  with  soldiers  in  his  efforts  to  secure  the  replacing 
of  the  Christian  in  their  homes,  or  to  enforce  the  reasona- 
ble demands  for  indemnity  for  the  great  losses  sustained 
by  the  church-members.  It  is  true  that  others  found  it 
necessary  to  go  under  the  protection  of  a  few  soldiers,  due 
partly  to  the  purpose  of  the  local  of&cials  not  to  endanger 
any  foreign  life  again  if  possible.  How  perilous  this 
might  be  was  shown  two  months  later  when  Mr.  Stone- 
house  of  the  London  Mission  was  shot  down  at  a  ferry 
crossing  while  visiting  the  church  communities  south  of 
Peking.  The  expedition  to  Shun  Yi  was  on  the  18th  of 
September.  A  month  later  we  find  Dr.  Ament  visiting 
Cho  Chou  and  the  mission  out-statious  scattered  along 
for  fifty  miles  southeast  of  Cho  Chou.  A  few  of  the 
refugees  from  Cho  Chou  had  been  with  him  in  Peking. 
Eeturning  to  their  homes  they  had  been  overtaken  and 
shot  by  the  French  punitive  expedition  hurrying  on  to 
Pao  Ting  Fu  and  towards  Cheng  Ting  Fu,  where  the 
French  priests  had  successfully  defended  themselves  and 
a  few  Belgian  engineers  who  had  escaped  thither  in  their 
hurried  exit  from  the  city  three  months  before. 

Dr.  Ament' s  letters  record  that  he  was  received  by  the 
people  and  the  officials  of  Cho  Chou  with  great  enthusiasm. 
They  had  the  idea  that  owing  to  him  the  fierce  exactions 
of  the  French  military  had  been  in  a  measure  stayed. 
The  sub-prefect — Chih  Chou — had  hastened  to  assure  him 
that  full  indemnity  would  be  given  for  the  destruction  of 


AN  EPISODE  227 

the  mission  chapel  and  other  property  in  the  city,  and 
every  facility  offered  for  indemnities  to  the  church  people. 
Dr.  Ament  was  happily  able  to  secure  in  this  way  a  fine 
place  on  the  main  street,  and  other  property  in  city  and 
country  in  lieu  of  the  chapels  and  homes  cruelly  destroyed 
in  the  summer  time.  He  was  able,  unattended,  except 
by  church-members,  to  visit  the  furthest  Christian  vil- 
lages in  his  district  and  see  the  local  officials,  each  of 
whom  was  desirous  of  settling  the  losses  of  the  Christians 
in  the  readiest  and  simplest  way  possible.  The  Eoman 
Catholic  priests  were  securing  indemnities  by  making  ex- 
cessive demands  upon  the  officials.  In  a  single  district 
south  of  where  Dr.  Ament  went,  they  demanded  half  a 
million  of  dollars  for  the  Christians  who  had  been  killed. 
A  month  or  more  later,  a  German  expedition  passed 
through  Cho  Chou,  en  route  towards  Pao  Ting  Fu.  Their 
depredations  and  exaction  were  a  severer  tax  upon  the 
people  than  that  of  their  mobile  predecessors.  Towards 
the  end  of  November  Dr.  Ament  made  a  second  trip  to 
Pa  Chou  and  Wen  An  and  made  a  final  settlement  of  the 
indemnity  claims,  in  accord  with  the  plans  laid  down  in 
his  conference  with  the  deputy  appointed  by  the  grand 
secretary,  Li  Hung  Chang,  whose  arrival  had  made  it 
possible  for  the  foreign  powers  to  reach  the  far  fleeing 
government.  The  Chinese  principle  of  responsibility  for 
wrong,  or  injury  done  to  another,  was  the  underlying 
principle  which  was  accepted  by  the  commissioners  and 
acted  upon  by  the  missionaries.  Early  in  December,  Dr. 
Sheffield  had  written  to  his  society  in  Boston,  "Dr. 
Ament  and  Mr.  Tewksbury  have  done  and  are  still  doing 
admirable  work  for  the  Christians  in  bringing  order  out 
of  confusion  and  delivering  them  from  manifold  troubles. 
The  conditions  are  very  strange  and  are  not  improving. 
The  province  is  in  a  more  disturbed  condition  than  three 
months  ago.     It  should  be  remarked  that  everywhere  the 


228  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

people  feel  themselves  responsible  for  what  has  happened, 
as  with  rare  exceptions  they  welcomed  the  Boxers  and 
helped  on  their  work  of  plunder  and  destruction.  Of- 
ficials in  the  army  and  outside  foreigners  generally  are 
only  too  ready  to  find  grounds  to  condemn  missionaries 
for  things  that  they  themselves  are  ready  to  do." 

On  his  return  from  his  second  visit  to  the  distant  places, 
Dr.  Ament  reported  to  Mr.  Conger,  giving  in  detail  the 
results  of  this  final  effort  to  secure  a  peaceable  settlement 
of  claims  for  each  of  the  little  communities  that  had  suf- 
fered the  loss  of  their  homes,  and  where  many  had  been 
killed  in  the  Boxers'  attacks  and  destruction.  It  was 
probably  about  this  time  that  Mr.  Chamberlain,  the  cor- 
respondent of  the  Sun,  and  at  this  time  the  chief  in  charge 
of  Laffan's  News  Agency,  having  heard  of  the  settlement 
of  the  indemnities,  went  to  Dr.  Ament  to  secure  as  full  an 
account  as  he  cared  to  give  of  his  recent  trip.  Dr.  Ament 
had  been  on  very  good  terms  with  several  of  the  corre- 
spondents, some  of  whom  had  lived  on  the  premises  with 
him  and  had  enjoyed  his  hospitality.  From  the  state- 
ments of  Dr.  Ament,  Mr.  Chamberlain  made  up  his  tele- 
graphic letter,  dated  Peking,  December  22d,  which  ap- 
peared in  the  Evening  Sun  of  December  24th.  It  seems 
unfortunate  that  Dr.  Ament  did  not  ask  to  see  the  manu- 
script of  the  message  before  it  went.  Mr.  Chamberlain 
had  apparently  no  purpose  of  criticizing  either  the  meth- 
ods or  the  results  of  the  settlement  of  the  indemnities.  A 
precaution  would  have  wholly  avoided  the  misconceptions 
of  the  correspondent,  if  not  the  mistakes  in  transmission. 
Later  on,  as  we  shall  see,  when  making  a  more  elaborate 
statement.  Dr.  Ament  looked  over  Mr.  Chamberlain's 
document  before  it  was  sent,  and  expressed  himself  quite 
satisfied  with  the  statements  made.  The  following  is  the 
crucial  part  of  the  statement  in  the  Sun  :  ''The  Eev.  Mr. 
Ament  of  the  American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  has 


AN  EPISODE  229 

returned  from  a  trip  which  he  made  for  the  purpose  of 
collecting  indemnities  for  damages  done  by  the  Boxers. 
Everywhere  he  went  he  compelled  the  Chinese  to  pay. 
He  says  that  all  his  native  Christians  are  now  provided 
for.  He  had  seven  hundred  of  them  under  his  charge  and 
three  hundred  were  killed.  He  has  collected  three  hundred 
taels  for  each  of  these  murders  and  has  compelled  full 
payment  for  all  the  property  belonging  to  the  Christians 
that  was  destroyed.  He  also  assessed  fines  amounting  to 
thirteen  times  the  amount  of  the  indemnity.  Mr.  Ament 
declares  that  the  compensation  he  has  collected  will  be 
used  for  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel,  that  the  compen- 
sation he  has  collected  is  moderate  when  compared  with 
the  amount  secured  by  the  Eoman  Catholics,  who  de- 
manded, in  addition  to  money,  '  head  for  head.'  They 
collect  500  taels  for  each  murder  of  a  Catholic.  In  the 
Jen  Chiu  country  680  Catholics  were  killed,  and  for  this 
the  European  Catholics  here  demand  750,000  strings  of 
cash  and  680  heads."  Any  one  at  all  familiar  with  the 
situation  in  China  would  detect  on  first  inspection  the 
errors  in  this  reported  interview.  A  few  words  indicate 
the  newspaper  correspondent's  working  over  the  inter- 
view as  he  understood  it.  Even  so  intelligent  a  news 
gatherer  falls  into  his  own  pitfalls.  He  uses  the  word 
**  compelled,"  which  was  never  true  of  Dr.  Ament.  He 
says  the  native  Christians  are  now  provided  for.  That 
merely  means  that  he  had  secured  due  payment  for  the 
great  losses,  in  money,  enabling  them  to  start  anew.  He 
says  this  new  fund  was  to  be  used  for  the  propagation  of 
the  Gospel.  Whereas  it  could  be  used  for  no  other  pur- 
pose than  to  provide  for  each  individual,  or  as  each  com- 
bined with  the  others,  for  the  rebuilding  of  chapels 
destroyed.  He  says  finally,  or  the  despatch  says,  '*He 
assessed  fines  amounting  to  thirteen  times  the  indemnity." 
It  will  be  interesting  to  note,  in  passing.  Dr.  Ament' s 


230  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

own  version  of  the  trip  thus  summarized,  as  seen  in  his 
letter  to  Dr.  Judson  Smith  of  December  27, 1900.  This 
was  before  any  intimation  had  reached  him  of  the  criti- 
cisms which  arose  in  the  United  States  concerning  alleged 
looting,  and  securing  excessive  indemnities  and  funds  for 
the  treasury  of  the  American  Board.  His  letter  shows 
that  no  funds  had  been  secured  except  for  Chinese  Chris- 
tians who  had  been  injured  in  person  and  property. 

Dr.  Ament  writes  :  "  After  a  month  of  very  hard  work, 
I  am  glad  to  report  progress  to  you.  I  visited — begin- 
ning on  the  south — Wen  An,  Pao  Ting  Hsien,  Pa  Chou, 
P'ing  Ting,  Cho  Chou,  Liang  Hsiang,  and  on  the  east, 
Shuu  Yi.  I  found  the  officials  in  all  these  places  exceed- 
ingly friendly  and  anxious  to  settle  the  affairs  of  the  con- 
verts, recognizing  the  right  and  the  need  of  such  claims. 
I  have  made  no  use  of  foreign  soldiers  and  brought  no  ex- 
ternal pressure  to  hear,  relying  on  the  justice  of  our  claims. 
Mr.  Conger  has  supported  us  in  the  measures  and  meth- 
ods taken,  though  the  military  people  have  not  failed  to 
make  criticisms.  The  survivors  in  all  our  country  sta- 
tions have  been  recouped  for  all  their  losses,  again  rein- 
stated in  their  villages,  with  some  money  in  hand,  and  a 
promise  of  houses  restored  next  spring.  Over  and  above 
restoration  for  the  converts  there  has  been  gathered  a 
fund  for  the  support  of  widows  and  orphans,  who  have 
no  homes  and  have  no  one  to  look  after  them.^^ 

This  brief  summary  of  three  months^  effort  in  recon- 
struction shows  simply  that  no  funds  have  been  secured 
except  for  Chinese  Christians  who  had  been  injured  in 
person  or  property. 

The  Sun^s  despatch  from  Peking  was  not  widely  known  or 
distributed  at  the  time  and  little  attention  was  paid  to  it  un- 
til Mark  Twain,  in  the  North  American  Review  for  Fehrusiryy 
in  an  article  eu titled  "To  the  Person  Sitting  in  Dark- 
ness," made  it  the  basis  of  some  fierce  charges  against  the 


AN  EPISODE  231 

character  of  Dr.  Ament,  and  incidentally  against  the  mo- 
tives and  actions  of  missionaries  in  China.  A  humorist 
is  the  victim  of  his  own  risibles.  He  has  the  advantage 
of  any  who  might  disagree  with  him.  He  has  the  first 
laugh  and  when  it  becomes  catching  his  victim  feels  the 
scorching,  true  or  false.  Now  our  genial  humorist,  so 
attractive  to  us  and  to  others  that  even  staid  Oxford  could 
not  resist  him,  but  must  shower  him  with  its  honors  "just 
for  fun,"  has  always  been  ''roughing  it.'^  Of  course  no 
humorist  could  investigate  any  fact.  That  would  be  too 
late  for  him.  He  must  be  like  any  lively  wasp.  He  need 
not  declare  war.  He  must  sting  and  sail  away.  And  so 
it  came  about  that  on  the  6th  of  February,  the  reading 
world  learned  of  Dr.  Ament  through  the  courtesy  of  Mark 
Twain.  The  feelings  of  the  victim  are  described  in  the 
graphic  record  of  Miss  Eussell.  Dr.  Ament  compared 
himself  with  Byron  as  being  the  direct  opposite.  ' '  Byron, '  ^ 
said  Ament,  *'woke  up  one  morning  to  find  himself  fa- 
mous. I  woke  up  to  find  myself  infamous.'^  With  a 
curious  leer  in  his  humorous  eye,  Mark  Twain  repeats 
his  emphasis,  upon  the  ''character-blasting  despatch." 
It  did  not  take  long  for  the  proof  to  come  that  the  despatch 
from  Peking  was  full  of  erroneous  statements,  and  that 
the  implications  were  still  farther  from  the  truth.  The 
direct  attack  upon  their  missionaries  brought  the  Ameri- 
can Board  at  once  to  the  defense  of  Dr.  Ament.  The  in- 
evitable discussion  involved  made  it  essential  for  a  word 
direct  from  Dr.  Ament  himself.  The  following  despatch 
was  cabled  him  from  Boston,  February  13th  : 

'*  Ament,  Peking.  Laffan's  News  Agency  reported  New  York 
Sun,  December  24th,  your  collecting  thirteen  times  actual  loss, 
using  for  propagating  the  Gospel.     Are  these  statements  true  ?  " 

The  reply  to  this  despatch  was  received  from  Peking 
two  days  later ; 


232  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Statements  untrue.  Collected  one-third  for  church  pur- 
poses, additional  actual  damages  now  supporting  widows  and 
orphans.  Publication  '  thirteen  times  '  blunder  cable  company. 
All  collections  received  approval  Chinese  officials,  who  urging 
further  settlements  same  line. 

Ament. 

On  the  9tli  of  February  there  appeared  in  several 
newspapers  a  letter  to  Mark  Twain  from  Rev.  Dr.  Judson 
Smith,  foreign  secretary  of  the  American  Board  in  charge 
of  the  missions  in  China.  It  is  dated  Boston,  February 
8th.     Its  courtesy  and  candor  makes  its  own  appeal : 

My  dear  Mr.  Clemens  : 

In  common  with  multitudes  in  this  country  and  else- 
where, I  have  a  great  admiration  for  your  genius,  and  read 
whatever  comes  from  your  pen  with  delight.  Your  brilliant 
article,  **  To  the  Person  Sitting  in  Darkness  "  in  the  February 
North  American  Review  will  attract  wide  attention  and  exert 
a  strong  influence.  Its  keen,  lightly-veiled  sarcasm  is  well 
adapted  to  its  purpose  and  will  produce  an  effect  quite  beyond 
the  reach  of  plain  argument. 

I  observe  that  in  commenting  on  affairs  in  China  you  select 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Ament,  D.  D.,  one  of  our  missionaries  at  Peking, 
to  give  your  point  of  view,  and  that  you  base  all  you  have  to 
say  of  him  on  a  single  press  despatch  printed  in  the  Eveni7ig 
Sun  of  December  24th,  and  that  you  assume  the  accuracy  of 
this  despatch  as  though  it  were  Dr.  Ament's  frank  and  full 
confession  of  deeds  and  motives.  The  arraignment  is  severe, 
the  effect  on  Dr.  Ament's  name  and  reputation  must  be  very 
damaging.  The  prejudice  thus  awakened  against  the  mission- 
aries, mission  work  and  the  American  Board  is  serious  and 
likely  to  be  of  long  consequence. 

It  should  require,  as  you  will  see,  the  ample  warrant  of 
unquestioned  facts  to  justify  a  public  arraignment  of  so  wide  a 
scope  and  far-reaching  influence  as  you  have  made  against  this 
man — a  man  of  hitherto  unblemished  character,  of  singular 
Christian  devotion,  of  heroic  courage  and  splendid  deeds.  He 
shared  in  the  siege  at  Peking  with  other  missionaries  and  in 
the  encomiums  which  Minister  Conger  pronounced  upon  them. 
By  an  act  of  rare  personal  bravery  he  saved  the  lives  of 
eighteen   of  his  fellow  missionaries  with  eight  children  and 


AN  EPISODE  233 

brought  them  into  Peking  just  before  the  Boxers  fell  on  their 
premises  and  destroyed  their  homes.  In  doing  this  he  risked 
his  own  life,  and  went  in  spite  of  the  fears  and  remonstrances 
of  Mr.  Conger  and  the  soldiers  at  Peking. 

You  are  too  experienced  an  author  to  rest  so  terrible  an 
accusation  against  a  man  whose  reputation  is  as  dear  to  him  as 
yours  to  you,  and  who  is  engaged  in  missionary  work  on  the 
other  side  of  the  globe,  upon  a  single  newspaper  despatch.  I 
wonder  what  other  information  you  possessed,  what  inquiries 
you  made  concerning  Dr.  Ament's  record  and  of  whom  these 
inquiries  were  made.  Dr.  Ament  has  been  a  missionary  for 
twenty-three  years  and  my  correspondent  above  sixteen  years, 
and  I  have  heard  from  him  frequently  during  these  last  months 
since  he  escaped  from  the  siege  of  Peking.  The  last  letter 
from  Dr.  Ament  was  written  November  13th,  and  gives  a  full 
account  of  the  events  to  which  presumably  the  Siiti's  despatch 
refers.  This  letter  was  given  to  the  Associated  Press  soon 
after  its  arrival,  January  7th.  In  it  he  says  :  *'  I  have  been 
in  Cho  Chou.  This  time  I  proposed  to  settle  affairs  without  the 
aid  of  soldiers  or  legations.  It  was  a  complete  success.  Every 
one  of  our  dispossessed  church -members  has  been  reinstated 
and  a  money  compensation  made  for  his  losses.  This  has  been 
done  by  appealing  to  the  sense  of  justice  among  the  villages 
where  our  people  lived  and  where  they  are  respected  by  all 
decent  people.  The  villagers  were  extremely  grateful  because 
I  brought  no  foreign  soldiers  and  were  glad  to  settle  on  the 
terms  proposed.  After  our  conditions  were  known  many  vil- 
lagers came  of  their  own  accord  and  brought  their  money  with 
them." 

Nothing  is  said  of  securing  ''  thirteen  times  "  the  amount  of 
the  losses.  There  is  not  a  word  about  using  the  indemnity 
*<for  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel."  The  whole  proceeding 
is  in  accordance  with  a  custom  among  the  Chinese  of  holding  a 
village  responsible  for  wrongs  suffered  in  the  village,  and 
especially  making  the  head  men  of  the  village  accountable  for 
wrongs  committed  there.  Not  a  cash  has  gone  to  Dr.  Ament, 
or  his  associates,  or  for  mission  purposes  of  any  kind ;  all  has 
been  used  for  the  relief  of  those  hundreds  of  refugees  whom 
the  Boxers  and  their  fellow  villagers  dispossessed  of  home  and 
property  in  the  wild  fury  of  last  June,  who  shared  the  siege  in 
Peking  with  the  legations  and  missionaries,  and  won  Mr. 
Conger's  unstinted  praise,  and  who  homeless  and  helpless  are 


234  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

dependent  on  the  missionaries  for  food,  raiment,  shelter  and  all 
things.  This  is  Dr.  Ament's  own  explanation  and  you  will 
note  that  it  lacks  all  those  features  on  which  your  arraignment 
rests.  We  give  unhesitating  confidence  to  Dr.  Ament's 
narrative ;  we  find  it  confirmed  by  what  his  associates  write ; 
we  have  not  one  intimation  from  authoritative  sources  that  it  is 
not  true.  Dr.  D.  Z.  Sheffield,  president  of  North  China 
College,  and  Arthur  H.  Smith,  author  of  *' Chinese  Charac- 
teristics "  are  associates  of  Dr.  Ament  and  are  now  in  China 
with  him.  The  former  writes  form  Peking,  under  date 
December  14th,  as  follows  :  "  Dr.  Ament  and  Mr.  Tewksbury 
have  done  and  are  still  doing  admirable  work  for  the  Christians 
to  bring  order  out  of  confusion  and  to  deliver  them  from  their 
manifold  troubles.  The  mission  and  the  Board  owe  much  to 
Mr.  Tewksbury  and  Dr.  Ament  for  what  they  have  accom- 
plished for  the  native  church  this  autumn.     .     .     ." 

But  I  need  not  say  more.  I  know  that  you  will  not  willingly 
do  any  man  an  injustice,  and  I  have  written  freely  and  at  once 
that  you  might  have  the  facts  before  you  such  as  are  known  to 
me  and  to  all  of  us  in  these  rooms,  and  be  able  duly  to  amend 
what  has  been  written. 

Assured  of  your  good  sense  of  fair  play  and  with  highest 
regards,  I  am, 

Very  truly  yours, 

JuDSON  Smith. 

Mark  Twain's  reply,  published  in  the  Tribune,  February 
13th,  was  brief,  reprinting  the  Laffan's  News  despatch, 
and  refusing  to  accept  Dr.  Smith's  assurances.  One 
promise  is  significant.  ""Whenever  he  (Dr.  Smith)  can 
produce  from  Eev.  Mr.  Ament  an  assertion  that  the  ^Sw^i's 
despatch  was  not  authorized  by  him,  and  whenever  Dr. 
Smith  can  buttress  Mr.  Ament's  disclaimer  with  a  con- 
fession from  Mr.  Chamberlain  that  that  despatch  was  a 
false  invention  and  unauthorized,  the  case  against  Mr. 
Ament  will  fall  to  the  ground." 

Dr.  Ament's  personal  disclaimer  as  seen  above  was  all 
that  could  be  expected  by  cable.  Laffan's  !N"ews  Agency 
seems  to  have  made  haste  to  fulfill  its  part  in  confessing 


AN  EPISODE  235 

that    the    earlier    despatch  was  '' unauthorized."      Its 
correction  appears  in  the  New  York  Sun,  February  20th. 

*'  Owing  to  the  cable  blunder,  the  Sun^s  despatch  of 
December  22d  was  made  to  say  that  the  Eev.  Mr. 
Ament,  of  the  American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  had 
collected  fines  from  the  Chinese  in  various  places  to  the 
amount  of  thirteen  times  the  damages  collected  by  him 
for  the  murder  of  converts  and  the  destruction  of  their 
property.  The  despatch  should  have  read  that  the  fines 
were  one-third  in  excess  of  the  indemnities,  making  the 
difference  of  something  over  a  million  of  dollars  in  the 
amount  said  to  have  been  collected." 

Shortly  after  the  arrival  of  Li  Hung  Chang,  newly  ap- 
pointed Viceroy  of  Chihli  and  commissioner  to  deal  wirh 
all  these  questions,  he  appointed  the  Tao  Tai,  Chang 
Yen  Mao,  the  commercial  head  of  the  China  Merchants' 
Navigation  Company,  and  also  of  the  Kaiping  Mining 
Company,  as  a  commissioner  to  see  the  leading  mission- 
aries of  the  separate  missionary  societies  and  consult  with 
them  as  to  the  indemnities  for  the  native  Christian 
losses.  They  agreed  fully  with  the  plan  of  local  demand, 
and  urged  the  missionaries  to  settle  all  cases  in  such  ways. 
It  was  in  pursuance  of  this  plan  that  every  demand  was 
made  and  eventually  carried  through. 

Peking,  February  igth. 
The  ministers  will  hold  a  meeting  to-morrow,  at  which  they 
will  discuss  the  question  of  indemnities.  The  approval  by  the 
Chinese  commissioners  of  the  missionary  plan  of  collecting  in- 
demnities for  native  Christians  from  the  localities  where  dam- 
ages were  inflicted  has  relieved  this  question  of  one  of  its  most 
difficult  features.  The  plan  has  operated  thus  far  so  success- 
fully that  the  commissioners  have  had  notices  posted  in  the 
districts  where  Christians  have  been  killed,  or  their  property 
destroyed,  urging  the  local  magistrates  to  settle  all  claims  in 
this  way,  and  authorizing  them  to  pay  a  hundred  taels  for  each 
Christian  killed. 


236  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Again  under  date  of  March  5th,  Mr.  Chamberlain 
telegraphed  to  the  New  York  Sun  the  following  which 
appeared  in  that  paper  under  the  heading  :  ''A  Clean 
Bill  for  the  Missionaries." 

''Minister  Conger  will  give  a  letter  to  the  missionaries 
here  stating  that  the  collection  of  indemnities  was  not  ex- 
tortion, but  the  payment  was  voluntary  on  the  part  of  the 
Chinese  officials,  and  was  moderate  in  amount.  The  seiz- 
ure of  the  property  was  justified  by  the  prospect  that 
a  severe  famine  was  inevitable,  and  there  was  no  govern- 
ment to  look  after  the  distressed  people.  The  proceeds 
of  the  seizures  were  used  entirely  for  these  people." 

Not  only  did  the  Sun  make  this  ''amende  honorable," 
but  also  the  New  York  TimeSj  which  had  made  some  un- 
favorable utterances  on  the  basis  of  the  first  despatch, 
does  the  same,  saying  :  "It  seems  we  have  been  led  into 
doing  an  injustice  to  him  (Dr.  Ament)  by  adopting  the 
less  authentic  statement,  in  ignorance  of  the  more  au- 
thentic. In  that  case  we  have  to  express  our  sincere  re- 
greV 

How  those  upon  the  ground  in  Peking  estimated  the 
attack  upon  Dr.  Ament  is  seen  in  a  cabled  despatch  to 
the  editor  of  th^  North  American  Beview  : 

Peking  Missionary  Association  demands  pubUc  retraction. 
Mark  Twain's  gross  Ubel  against  Ament  utterly  false. 

Secretary. 

How  matters  of  this  sort  look  to  those  outside  of  the 
missionary  circle  is  perhaps  seen  in  an  editorial  in  the 
Boston  Journal,  under  the  title  :  "A  Humorist  Astray." 

Mark  Twain  had  better  stick  to  his  last.  He  is  a  capital 
humorist  but  when  he  poses  as  a  publicist  he  gets  into  trouble 
straightway.  His  article  in  the  North  American  Review  is  not 
good  humor,  and  is  very  bad  politics.     Some  of  it,  moreover, 


AN  EPISODE  237 

seems  to  be  recklessly  and  even  libellously  untrue.  .  .  . 
Mr.  Ament,  against  whom  Mark  aims  the  hasty  shafts  of  his  ridi- 
cule and  denunciation,  is  one  of  the  heroic  men  of  peace  who 
distinguished  themselves  in  the  defense  of  the  British  Legation. 
He  has  been  a  leader  in  the  great  and  urgent  work  of  relieving 
the  necessities  of  the  native  Christians  of  the  northern  prov- 
inces, or  of  those  who  escaped  the  Boxer  sword.  In  pursu- 
ance of  this  work,  he  has  secured  money  contributions  from 
the  villages  where  the  native  Christians  suffered.  It  does  not 
appear  that  Mr.  Ament  has  used  any  force  to  accomplish  this. 
It  does  not  appear  that  he  has  secured  any  more  money  than 
was  essential  to  feed  and  clothe  his  native  wards,  and  to  re- 
establish them  in  dwellings.  This  is  a  work  of  Christian 
charity,  defensible  on  the  most  elementary  grounds  of  justice. 
When  Mark  Twain  accuses  Dr.  Ament  and  his  fellow  mission- 
aries of  ''looting"  he  manifests  a  mental  and  moral  obliquity 
which  astonishes  and  pains  his  New  England  neighbors  and 
admirers. 

The  trouble  with  our  genial  humorist  is  that  he  is  beyond 
his  depth.  He  would  not  make  a  success  if  he  turned  states- 
man. He  would  not  make  much  of  a  success  if  he  turned 
missionary ;  as  a  humorist  he  is  incomparable.  Every  man  to 
his  trade.  Let  Mark  remember  this,  and  let  him  choose  as  a 
target  for  his  satire  something  other  than  the  heroic  men  who 
have  been  through  the  nightmare  of  blood  and  ruin  in  China, 
while  he  has  been  comfortably  basking  in  the  sunlight  that 
makes  eternal  summer  for  a  genius  admired  of  both  old  world 
and  new. 

The  home  of  Mark  Twain  was  for  many  years  in  Hart- 
ford, Conn.,  on  a  beautiful  knoll  on  Farmington  Avenue, 
where  it  descends  towards  a  pretty  stream.  The  elite  of 
Hartford's  literary  folk  delighted  in  his  presence,  his 
crudeness  and  his  humor.  One  cannot  forbear  quoting 
from  a  Hartford  daily,  of  February  11th,  a  few  choice 
sentences  : 

Mark  Twain  is  the  spoiled  child  of  American  letters.  There 
is  always  something  good  about  a  spoiled  child.  We  all  love 
him  when  he  is  at  his  wildest.     We  admire  his  courage,  for  he 


238  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

dares  everything.  Mark  Twain,  with  all  his  goodness  and  sin- 
cerity of  heart,  has  never  made  scientific  or  historical  precision 
of  statement  a  characteristic  of  his  work.  The  weaknesses  and 
virtues  of  his  methods  are  illustrated  in  the  paper  which  holds 
first  place  in  the  North  American  Review  for  February.  Here 
are  the  same  outbursts  of  self-instituted  conviction :  the  same 
half-humorous,  half-satirical  denunciations,  the  same  disregard 
of  details  in  the  desire  to  make  the  main  point  luminous  and 
impressive.  In  regard  to  the  missionaries  Mark  Twain  has 
drawn  his  bow  very  much  at  a  venture.  And  this  suggests 
that  it  is  always  safer  for  a  satirist  to  know  his  geography,  and 
what  sort  of  people  animate  it  before  he  strings  his  bow  and 
shoulders  his  quiver. 

The  foregoing  review  was  prepared  many  months  since. 
And  now  the  great  humorist  and  popular  author  has 
passed  into  the  vast  silence.  We  shall  have  no  word 
from  him  of  the  real  heaven  into  which  Captain  Storm- 
field  entered.  Phillips  Brooks  was  wont  to  say  :  ^'The 
speed  of  the  soul  is  swift"  to  peace.  The  pen  of  the 
critic  is  stayed  by  the  power  of  the  invisible.  The 
pathos  with  which  Mr.  Clemens  has  clothed  his  own 
home  life  and  the  delicacy  of  his  tribute  to  the  daughter 
he  loved  and  lost  enables  us  to  pass  lightly,  now,  his 
carelessness  regarding  the  sincere  efforts  of  multitudes  of 
ardent  souls  to  make  the  kingdom  of  heaven  real  upon 
the  earth.  The  "Yea,  yea"  and  the  "Nay,  nay"  of 
that  kingdom  are  as  real  here  as  they  will  be  hereafter. 


Do  not  pray  for  easy  lives.  Pray  to 
be  stronger  men.  Do  not  pray  for 
tasks  equal  to  your  powers.  Pray  for 
powers  equal  to  your  tasks.  Then  the 
doing  of  your  work  shall  be  no  mir- 
acle. Yourself  shall  be  the  miracle. 
Every  day  you  will  wonder  at  your- 
self, at  the  richness  of  life  which  has 
come  to  you  by  the  grace  of  God. 

—Phillips  Brooks. 

XYII 

INCIDENTS  IN  THE  RECONSTRUCTION  PERIOD 

AMONG  the  uncalled-for  criticisms  of  the  action 
of  the  missionaries  was  the  complaint  that  they 
were  unsympathetic  with  the  suffering.  Thus 
the  &un  says,  ''There  was  not  a  word  from  beginning  to 
end  in  sympathy  with  the  spirit  of  brotherhood  and 
mercy  and  forgiveness  which  is  so  large  a  part  of  the 
religion  Christ  taught  to  mankind."  Another  asks  the 
question,  "Why  have  we  heard  no  scathing  denuncia- 
tions by  the  missionaries  of  the  butcheries  and  unspeak- 
able outrages  by  soldiers  of  the  allies  %  Ordinary  news- 
paper correspondents  are  unable  to  keep  silent.  But  the 
missionaries  are  reported  as  seizing  the  houses  and 
property  of  unoffending  Chinese.  Are  the  missionaries 
the  only  men  in  the  world  who  do  not  see  that  these 
crimes  of  civilization  set  back  the  cause  of  missions  in 
China  for  a  hundred  years?''  The  simple  reply  to  such 
intimations  is  that  the  questions  are  asked  by  those 
imagining  the  feelings  of  the  missionaries.  The  mis- 
sionaries stood  aghast  at  the  appalling  evils  that  accumu- 
lated every  day  which  they  were  helpless  to  prevent. 

Dr.  Ament  in  addition  to  his  care  for  his  own  people 
was  steadily  involved  in  the  effort  to  help  the  neighbors 
and  residents  in  the  near  neighborhood,  defending  them 

239 


240  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

if  possible  from  the  depredations  of  uncontrolled  soldiers, 
Eussian  and  German,  who  roved  every  quarter  and  pil- 
laged as  they  chose. 

Miss  Eussell  gives  us  a  vivid  picture  of  Dr.  Ament 
going  out  to  rescue  the  family  of  a  heathen  neighbor ; 
' '  While  we  were  at  supper  an  unknown  man  rushed  in 
and  kneeling  at  Dr.  Ament' s  feet  begged  him  to  go  to  the 
large  place  west  of  us  and  save  his  old  mistress,  over 
eighty  years  old,  from  the  Eussian  soldiers  who  were 
plundering  the  place.  This  place  had  been  a  notorious 
Boxer  stronghold,  having  put  out  posters  setting  a  price 
on  the  heads  of  all  foreigners  and  Christians,  even 
children.  This  did  not  deter  Dr.  Ament  when  he  heard 
of  the  old  lady  deserted  by  all  but  two  faithful  servants, 

and  seizing  his  stick  said  to  Mr.  Stelle  and  to  Mr.  J , 

a  newspaper  man,  '  If  I  am  not  back  in  an  hour,  come 
for  me.'  We  waited  and  as  he  did  not  return  the  two 
gentlemen,  Miss  Sheffield  and  I  went  up  to  the  place. 
Just  as  we  reached  the  gate,  the  servant  came  through 
bearing  the  old  lady  on  his  back.  Dr.  Ament  had  quite 
a  time  making  the  soldiers  understand  his  errand.  One 
of  the  soldiers  pointed  his  gun  at  him  when  he  tried  to 
push  by  with  the  servant.  By  motion  and  patience,  Dr. 
Ament  got  the  soldier  to  go  along  with  him  and  pointing 
to  the  servant  and  the  old  lady  with  white  hair,  he  made 
the  soldier  understand  that  he  was  not  after  money  or 
plunder  of  any  kind.  Day  after  day,  often  before 
light  and  late  in  the  night  people  were  coming  from  all 
that  region  to  get  him  to  come  to  the  rescue  either  of 
their  families  or  property."  These  people  had  no 
previous  connection  with  the  Christians.  *'  Morning  by 
morning  groups  of  women  came  and  asked  to  be  allowed 
to  stay  in  the  courts  during  the  daytime.  It  was  known 
all  about  that  they  would  be  protected  and  safe.  It  was 
a  daily  sight  to  see  him  dashing  out  of  the  court,  stick  in 


THE  RECO]N^STRUCTION  PERIOD        241 

hand,  to  drive  out  marauders,  either  foreign,  or  Chinese 
in  foreign  dress,  or  lawless  soldiers.  This  was  true  not 
only  of  the  immediate  region  (about  us),  but  of  other 
and  sometimes  distant  parts  of  the  city.  I  remember 
one  day  his  coming  in  all  worn  out  from  a  hand  to  hand 
tussle  with  foreign  thieves.  The  servants  had  come  for 
him  ;  only  women  were  at  home  :  *  When  I  jumped  on 
them  they  were  picking  over  silks  and  furs  knee-deep.'  '^ 

The  sympathy  of  the  American  editor  was  with  the 
*' unoffending  Chinese. '^  In  the  effort  to  give  real  help 
and  bring  order  once  more  out  of  the  terrible  confusion 
of  the  early  days  of  reconstruction,  no  questions  were 
asked  as  to  who  was  offending  or  unoffending.  Long 
strings  of  men  and  women,  who  had  in  their  joy  aided  in 
destroying  the  mission  compound  in  June,  came  back  in 
September  bringing  the  brick  they  had  carried  away 
from  walls  and  houses  of  the  mission. 

Miss  Russell  says  :  ' '  Large  numbers  of  people  outside 
the  church  who  had  suffered  came  with  all  sorts  of  com- 
plaints and  claims.  Many  were  the  requests  that  he  got 
from  the  Chinese  government  for  indemnity  for  property 
destroyed  by  the  Boxers  in  the  attempt  to  burn  out  the 
foreigners,  or  as  a  result  of  spite  and  revenge,  requests  to 
right  wrongs  in  family  or  business  where  the  strong  had 
taken  advantage  of  the  weak.  Often  large  sums  of 
money  were  promised  if  he  w^ould  do  this  or  allow  use  of 
his  name  or  the  name  of  the  church."  How  thoroughly 
sympathetic  Dr.  Ament  was,  even  towards  the  ' '  offend- 
ing" Chinese  in  their  present  perils  and  melancholy 
condition  was  abundantly  evident  to  his  immediate 
neighbors.  They  paid  him  the  compliment  of  trusting 
him  with  their  affairs,  assured  that  he  would  deal  justly 
by  them. 

In  a  letter  of  Dr.  Ament  written  September  27th, 
about  a  month  after  the  occupation  of  the  Mongol  Fu 


242  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

one  reads:  "I  am  selling  off  the  bric-a-brac,  silks,  furs 
found    in  the  Fu  for  the  benefit  of   the  Christians." 

Quoting  from  a  despatch  in  a  Boston  paper  dated 
April  25th,  we  read,  ''Dr.  Ament  explains  the  sale  of 
goods  in  the  Mongol  prince's  house  in  which  he  took  up 
his  quarters  by  saying  that  those  with  him  were  without 
food  and  that  he  sold  the  goods  on  the  advice  of  Mr. 
Conger.  Had  they  not  taken  possession  of  the  place  it 
would  have  been  destroyed  by  the  Eussians.  The 
amount  realized  by  the  sale  was  devoted  to  the  needs  of 
the  native  Christians. '^ 

The  same  despatch  quoting  from  Mr.  Conger  says  : 
*' There  were  really  no  actions  on  the  part  of  the  mis- 
sionaries there  that  were  not  entirely  justified.  There 
was  no  government,  no  organization.  There  were  houses 
of  men  who  had  been  firing  on  the  foreign  quarter  ;  their 
property  had  been  abandoned  as  a  result  of  a  state  of 
war,  and  it  was  taken  in  order  to  succor  hundreds  of 
suffering  and  destitute  Chinese  whose  lives  the  original 
owners  had  been  laboring  to  destroy.  Winter  was  com- 
ing on,  measures  of  some  kind  were  imperative,  and  the 
appropriation  of  property  for  the  ends  in  view  was 
unquestionably  justified.  I  am  prepared  to  justify  the 
conduct  of  the  American  missionaries  before  the  siege, 
during  the  siege  and  after  the  siege."  No  warrant  or 
authority  could  have  been  stronger  and  more  desirable 
than  that  of  Mr.  Conger.  In  calm  assurance  that  justice 
and  benevolence  alike  demanded  such  action,  Mr.  Conger, 
the  only  one  in  authority  as  far  as  Americans  were  con- 
cerned, bravely  assumed  great  responsibility  for  which 
he  is  fitly  to  be  commended.  Dr.  Ament  acted  under 
this  delegated  authority. 

Eegarding  the  propriety  of  this  sale  Dr.  Ament  states  : 
*'  At  the  close  of  the  siege,  missionaries,  in  common  with 
all  others  in  Peking,  had  to  hasten  and  gather  in  grain 


THE  RECONSTRUCTION  PERIOD        243 

as  they  could  from  various  sources,  for  their  own  and 
their  people's  consumption.  As  they  had  no  money 
with  which  to  purchase  clothing  and  other  necessaries 
for  themselves  it  was  suggested  by  the  United  States 
minister,  Mr.  Conger,  that  the  missionaries  sell  the  stuff 
found  on  the  premises  which  they  occupied.  In  my  own 
case,  having  been  severely  criticized,  I  would  say  that  the 
premises  we  took  had  been  Boxer  headquarters.  From 
this  place  they  issued  forth  to  burn  our  chapel.  Dur- 
ing the  siege  I  had  been  appointed  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee on  confiscated  goods,  and  following  the  orders  of 
Sir  Claude  MacDonald,  I  had  charge  of  the  auctions  at 
which  were  sold  the  porcelain,  garments,  curios,  furni- 
ture and  odds  and  ends  of  things  taken  from  adjoining 
buildings  during  the  siege.  None  were  taken  before  the 
siege.  What  was  done  was  done  under  the  authority  and 
by  the  orders  of  Sir  Claude  MacDonald,  and  the  proceeds 
were  supposed  to  be  divided  among  the  British  marines. " 

Only  the  poorer  articles  were  disposed  of  under  the 
direction  of  the  missionaries,  the  better  articles  being 
reserved  to  be  sold  under  the  direction  of  a  British 
colonel.  As  it  was  by  the  hard  labor  of  the  missionaries 
that  a  large  amount  of  stuff  had  been  saved  from  destruc- 
tion, and  thousands  of  dollars  divided  among  the  British 
soldiers,  such  efforts  were  certainly  worthy  of  commenda- 
tion. 

It  has  been  charged  that  in  the  sales  at  the  palace,  the 
stock  running  low,  the  missionary  sent  out  his  native 
Christians  to  loot  more  garments  and  bring  them  in  for 
sale  at  high  prices.  The  fact  is  not  one  looted  garment 
was  sold.  ''The  Christians  brought  in  garments  they 
had  bought  from  the  soldiers,  or  from  reduced  rich  fami- 
lies who  wished  to  dispose  of  their  furs  for  a  fair  re- 
muneration." 

There  is  reported  an  interview  with  Sir  Claude  Mac- 


244  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Donald,  whicli  may  serve  as  a  final  verdict  upon  these 
subjects : 

''If  all  looting  is  wrong,  as  in  theory  it  is,  then  they 
have  been  to  blame  :  but  there  are  times  when  the  laws  of 
nature  assert  themselves  over  the  laws  of  civilization,  and 
this  was  a  case  in  point. 

''You  must  remember  that  these  men  had  just  endured 
a  long  siege,  that  they  had  been  bereft  of  everything  they 
possessed  and  that  they  had  hundreds  of  men,  similarly 
destitute,  who  were  dependent  upon  them.  What  was 
their  position  1  Had  they  come  to  me  and  said,  ^  Give 
us  money  and  food,'  I  could  only  have  replied  in  the 
negative,  or,  at  all  events,  to  the  effect  that  I  could  not 
feed  their  converts,  and  so  they  took  the  law  into  their 
own  hands.  It  has  been  a  case  of  poetical  or  primitive 
justice.  But,  granted  that  this  sort  of  justice  was  ad- 
missible, I  do  not  admit  that  the  missionaries  abused 
it.  I  have  not  heard  of  a  single  instance  of  a  missionary 
looting  for  any  purpose  other  than  that  of  feeding  them- 
selves and  their  converts  who  were  dependent  on  them.'' 

Among  the  special  incidents  of  the  reconstruction 
period  was  that  respecting  the  residence  of  the  Viceroy, 
Tuan  Fang.  The  family  residence  of  this  distinguished 
Viceroy  was  in  Peking,  directly  behind  the  American 
Board  Mission,  across  a  narrow  street.  His  people  had 
become  acquainted  with  the  foreign  residence  and  with 
the  native  Christians.  As  Viceroy  in  Shensi,  Tuan 
Fang  had  become  much  interested  in  the  English  mission 
in  Hsi  An  Fu,  of  which  Mr.  Duncan  was  the  leader.  In 
June  Mr.  Duncan  had  been  informed  by  the  local  tele- 
graph operator  of  the  imperial  edict  ordering  the  killing 
of  all  foreigners  and  the  confiscation  of  their  property. 
He  saw  the  Viceroy  at  once  and  was  assured  by  the  Vice- 
roy that  he  would  do  everything  possible  to  save  them. 
Thus  it  happened  that  Mr.  Duncan  was  able  to  lead  forty- 


THE  RECONSTRUCTION  PERIOD        2-15 

one  persons  over  the  mountains,  and  by  the  Han  Eiver 
to  Hankow.     No  life  was  lost. 

It  was  reported  in  Peking  in  September  that  a  brother 
of  Tuan  Fang  had  been  involved  in  the  massacre  of  many 
Swedish  missionaries  in  Shansi.  The  Japanese  and  Rus- 
sian soldiers  had  looted  the  premises  of  the  Viceroy.  Dr. 
Ament  felt  at  liberty  to  enter  the  Fu  and  to  ask  for 
clothing  and  bedding  for  his  destitute  people.  Others 
had  taken  silks  and  satins.  For  our  people  cotton  gar- 
ments were  sufficient.  When  it  was  reported  to  the 
Viceroy  that  his  home  had  been  despoiled,  the  soldiers 
were  unknown,  but  the  Christians  were  near  at  hand. 
Mr.  Duncan,  who  at  this  time  was  in  Peking,  acting  as 
an  interpreter,  received  a  telegram  from  the  Viceroy 
asking  his  aid  in  the  matter  of  the  Christians  attacking 
his  home.  He  thought  it  a  hard  return  for  his  attempt 
to  save  many  lives.  Mr.  Duncan  at  once  went  to  see 
Dr.  Sheffield  and  they  to  call  on  Dr.  Ament.  It  appeared 
that  the  soldiers  had  done  most  of  the  injury,  but  they 
were  inaccessible.  While  Dr.  Ament  felt  that  he  was  in 
a  measure  justified,  when  it  turned  out  that  the  offending 
official  was  only  one  of  the  same  name,  and  that  this  was 
the  family  home  of  the  genial  Viceroy,  it  seemed  only 
wise  to  make  what  restitution  was  possible.  An  esti- 
mated share  of  the  loss  was  made  at  about  five  hundred 
dollars,  which  was  duly  returned  to  the  Viceroy.  At  a 
later  date,  the  Viceroy  held  no  permanent  grudge  against 
the  mission  or  against  Dr.  Ament.  In  1905,  when  he  was 
about  to  visit  America,  as  commissioner,  Dr.  Ament 
called  upon  him  and  urged  him  to  visit  the  schools  and 
colleges  for  girls  in  the  United  States.  This  he  did  and 
was  greatly  impressed.  When  in  Boston,  at  a  reception 
given  him,  he  spoke  with  noticeable  compliment  of  the 
good  work  of  the  American  Board  missions  and  mission- 
aries in  China. 


246  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Following  the  withdrawal  of  the  court,  the  city  of  Peking 
was  practically  without  government.  The  general  law- 
lessness was  everywhere  manifest,  and  the  city  was  scoured 
by  robbers  and  thieves.  The  common  people  of  the  lower 
orders  took  this  opportunity  to  recoup  themselves  for 
supposed  social  wrongs.  It  was  done  with  a  liberal  hand. 
Large  numbers  of  persons  appealed  to  the  Christians  to 
secure  protection  from  the  foreign  soldiers.  The  Ameri- 
can and  Japanese  were  held  in  check,  but  others  roamed 
at  will. 

It  was  at  this  time  reported  to  our  Christians  that  a 
government  mint  on  the  great  street  was  in  danger  of  at- 
tack, and  they  were  implored  to  give  some  aid.  This 
was  reported  to  Dr.  Ament,  and  a  number  of  Christians 
who  had  secured  guns  undertook  to  guard  the  place. 
There  was  the  material  for  a  large  amount  of  cash  as  well 
as  valuable  ores  at  hand.  It  soon  became  evident  that 
the  making  of  cash  was  a  function  of  government  which 
could  not  be  assumed.  The  policing  of  the  east  side  of 
the  city  was  now  in  the  hands  of  the  Germans.  Dr.  Shef- 
field and  Dr.  Ament  went  to  the  German  commander  and 
reported  the  find.  When  it  was  fully  explained,  and  he 
was  told  of  the  amount  of  material,  he  replied,  ''Well, 
we  will  look  after  it.^^  He  assumed  control  from  that 
time. 

As  regards  the  settling  of  the  indemnities  in  the  vil- 
lages. Dr.  Ament  went  in  person,  without  any  military 
escort,  saw  the  village  elders  and  the  magistrates,  collected 
the  amounts  and  distributed  as  best  he  could.  He  won 
great  favor  with  the  people  for  his  kindly  energy  and 
helpfulness.  He  carefully  examined,  prevented  fraudu- 
lent claims,  and  carried  personal  grudges  and  other  such 
affairs  to  a  happy  issue. 

He  won  great  favor  with  the  Chinese  officials.  Mr. 
Stelle  reports  a  signal  instance  of  Dr.  Ament^s  wisdom 


THE  IlECO]S'STIlUCTION  PERIOD        247 

and  skill  in  aiding  the  Chinese  officials,  even  such  as  did 
not  care  to  aid  the  Christians.  The  German  expeditions 
went  far  afield  to  make  demands  upon  the  officials.  Once 
they  got  as  far  as  Kalgan,  during  which  trip  one  of  the 
higher  German  officers  was  asphyxiated  at  a  wayside 
inn  by  coal  gas,  the  night  being  very  cold.  A  German 
force  appeared  at  the  city  of  Shun  Yi  and  made  a  demand 
upon  the  district  official  for  an  enormous  amount,  threat- 
ening to  burn  the  town.  Dr.  Ament  was  present  collect- 
ing indemnity  for  the  church  property,  settling  up  losses 
of  our  Board  and  also  aiding  the  Christians  to  secure  their 
indemnities.     Mr.  Stelle  says  : 

"Local  collections  were  by  far  the  best  plan  and  the 
Chinese  government,  represented  by  Li  Hung  Chang, 
strongly  desired  it,  and  followed  that  method  as  far  as 
they  could.  They  would  have  paid  all  indemnities  locally 
if  it  had  not  been  that  the  Eoman  Catholic  claims  were 
so  exorbitant,  running  into  millions,  that  the  Chinese 
could  not  arrange  further  with  them,  preferring  to  have 
the  claims  settled  through  the  foreign  ministers  in  joint 
consultation.  In  that  way  greater  fairness  was  secured, 
for  in  the  wider  representation  all  the  allied  nations  were 
present,  some  being  checks  to  others.  The  money  col- 
lected by  Dr.  Ament  as  indemnity  was  in  our  chapel. 
There  was  the  fullest  good  feeling  on  the  part  of  the  offi- 
cial and  the  people  towards  Dr.  Ament  and  the  church. 
Suddenly  the  Germans  appeared.  Their  soldiers  guarded 
all  the  gates  of  the  city.  German  soldiers  lined  up  on  the 
main  street  at  regular  intervals,  their  guns  with  fixed 
bayonets.  As  the  officers  dismounted  their  orderlies  se- 
cured the  nearest  grain  for  the  horses.  It  happened 
to  be  a  Fair  Day.  Business  was  in  full  process.  Many 
had  come  from  the  neighboring  villages  for  trade.  Bags 
of  grain  were  dumped  on  the  ground  for  the  German 
horses  and  the  grain  was  trampled  under  foot.     The  Ger- 


248  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

man  colonel  and  an  interpreter  went  to  the  yamen  and 
demanded  three  thousand  taels.  In  the  streets  there 
was  a  line  of  carts  conveying  the  silver  they  had  secured 
elsewhere.  All  the  market  towns  for  some  distance  to 
the  east,  wherever  there  were  pawn-shops,  had  been 
stripped.  The  official  in  fright  sent  at  once  to  Dr. 
Ament.  At  this  juncture,  the  official's  fine  mule  was 
led  off.  At  the  yamen,  he  endeavored  to  secure  a  com- 
promise. He  told  the  Germans  that  the  magistrate  had 
only  been  there  a  month, — for  he  was  a  newly  arrived 
oliicial  whom  Dr.  Ament  had  known  in  Peking, — and 
that  he  could  not  possibly  secure  three  thousand  taels. 
Then  they  mentioned  two  thousand.  This  also  was  beyond 
reach.  One  thousand  and  five  hundred  were  mentioned. 
Dr.  Ament  said  he  would  consult  the  official.  The  offi- 
cial was  frightened  and  dared  not  by  bringing  silver 
through  the  street  show  where  the  silver  was.  Finally 
Dr.  Ament  went  to  our  chapel  and  had  five  hundred 
taels  sent  over  to  the  yamen.  The  Germans  said,  '  Not 
enough.'  After  much  conversation  a  merchant  brought 
in  a  package  of  seventy  or  more  taels.  The  Germans 
saw  that  they  were  not  likely  to  get  much,  and  as  they 
had  fed  their  horses  and  the  day  was  still  '  young,'  they 
decided  to  go  forward.  Thus  the  pawn-shops  of  Shun  Yi 
were  not  looted.  The  city  was  saved  thousands  of  taels. 
Very  naturally  the  gentry  felt  most  kindly  towards  Dr. 
Ament  and  our  church.  Banners  were  sent  to  Dr.  Ament 
from  this  city,  inscribed  with  the  names  of  the  leading 
citizens.  And  only  last  year  representatives  from  that 
city  thanked  Dr.  Ament  for  his  friendly  aid." 

Dr.  Ament  was  as  brave  as  he  was  wise  in  the  settling 
of  the  church  affairs.  In  the  affairs  in  the  region  south 
of  Peking  at  Cho  Chou  and  elsewhere  his  success  was  in 
the  nature  of  a  triumph.  The  French  soldiers  had  stolen 
a  march  upon  their  competitors  in  starting  south  from 


THE  RECONSTRUCTION  PERIOD        249 

Peking  towards  Pao  Ting  and  Cheng  Ting  Fu.  They 
made  exorbitant  demands  of  officials  and  villagers.  Dr. 
Ament  was  in  one  of  the  villages  southeast  of  Cho  Chou 
when  a  body  of  French  soldiers  appeared  threatening  to 
burn  the  village  unless  they  received  sufficient  funds  from 
the  head  men.  The  villages  appealed  to  Dr.  Ament,  who 
went  alone  to  French  headquarters.  He  insisted  that 
they  deal  fairly  by  the  people.  The  French  were  bellig- 
erent and  threatened  to  shoot  him  if  he  insisted  on  inter- 
fering.   Brave  as  he  was  he  was  helpless  on  this  occasion. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  of  the  incidents  of  this 
period  was  in  Dr.  Ament' s  relation  to  the  city  of  Cho 
Chou  where  for  twenty  years  he  had  gone  in  and  out  and 
knew  the  gentry  and  the  leading  men  of  the  region  as 
well  as  the  officials. 

Miss  Russell  explains  this  more  in  detail :  "  The  mag- 
istrate who  called  upon  him,  as  has  been  mentioned,  was 
an  old  friend.  The  presence  of  the  exacting  soldiery  had 
thrown  him  into  a  state  of  nervous  prostration.  Dr. 
Ament  saw  the  gentry  of  the  town  and  advised  them  to 
bring  in  food  and  grain  that  the  French  and  the  Germans 
demanded  and  to  help  their  official  as  much  as  they  could. 
The  official  was  not  alone  in  his  gratitude.  The  very  gen- 
try and  people  who  as  Boxers  had  threatened  and  des- 
troyed were  now  in  haste  to  make  every  amend  possible. 
The  people  showed  their  appreciation  by  offering  one  of 
the  finest  places  in  the  heart  of  the  city  for  his  future 
work.'^ 

The  prestige  secured  in  Cho  Chou  went  before  him  so 
that  in  the  regions  far  to  the  south,  the  limit  of  his  par- 
ishes, the  officials  and  the  head  men  of  the  villages,  for- 
mer Boxers,  were  among  the  first  to  welcome  him,  hop- 
ing to  secure  his  aid  in  preventing  the  coming  of  the 
soldiery,  and  ready  to  listen  to  his  requests  for  indemnity 
for  the  wrongs  they  had  done.     He  writes,  "  I  simply  had 


250  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

a  splendid  time.  Officials  and  people  are  grateful  for 
everything  and  the  affairs  of  the  church  are  amicably  set- 
tled.'' 

Early  in  February  j  ust  before  the  Chinese  year  closed 
Dr.  Ament  made  a  third  visit  to  Cho  Chou.  He  was  ac- 
companied by  two  English  gentlemen,  one  a  student  in 
the  legation.  They  were  witnesses  of  one  of  the  striking 
incidents  of  this  period.  The  New  York  Tribune  of  the 
6th  of  February  has  the  following  press  despatch  : 

*'  London,  February  6th.  A  despatch  from  Pekiug  to 
the  Morning  Post  says  that  Count  von  Waldersee  has 
ordered  the  release  of  the  Eev.  Mr.  Ament.'' 

Of  this  incident  Miss  Eussell  writes  :  '^It  was  in  this 
city  (Cho  Chou),  while  helping  to  straighten  out  things 
that  Dr.  Ament  was  arrested  by  the  French  officers  in 
charge.  The  French  officer  searched  the  chapel  and  put 
all  there  under  arrest.  Dr.  Ament  writes  of  this  very 
briefly,  '  It  is  a  long  story  and  I  am  too  tired  to  tick  it  off. 
Suffice  it  to  say,  it  was  all  a  blunder  or  sinful  lying  on 
the  part  of  the  Jesuit  priest  and  there  was  not  the  shadow 
of  a  shade  of  a  reason  for  gatheriug  me  in.  One  of  the 
Chang  boys  was  staying  on  the  premises  and  was  wanted 
on  the  serious  charge  of  extorting  money,  which  was  not 
sustained  at  his  trial.  Our  claims  for  indemnity  had  long 
been  settled  and  I  was  there  to  dedicate  the  chapel  and 
to  marry  the  poor  boy  whom  the  French  had  condemned 
to  five  years  of  imprisonment,  just  to  save  their  face  and 
to  make  the  people  think  they  had  a  case.' 

^'  Dr.  Ament  always  felt  that  the  enmity  of  the  French 
was  stirred  up  by  a  Frenchman  living  at  the  time  at 
Tientsin.  In  the  dress  of  a  Catholic  priest  accompanied 
by  soldiers,  or  Chinese  dressed  as  foreign  soldiers,  he  was 
making  demands  for  large  sums  of  money.  Dr.  Ament 
reported  him  to  the  officials  and  also  to  the  French  Lega- 
tion at  Peking.     In  revenge  the  man  made  a  great  deal 


THE  RECONSTRUCTION  PERIOD        261 

of  trouble  reporting  that  the  Protestant  Christians  were 
taking  revenge  by  looting.'^ 

The  following  story  is  a  full  reply  to  the  charge  that 
the  missionaries  were  only  satisfied  with  ^'niore  heads." 
*'A  noted  Boxer  was  caught  and  brought  to  him  to  be 
handed  over  to  the  Germans.  This  man  had  killed 
eleven  members  of  one  family  of  Christians.  For  a  day 
and  a  night  he  was  bound  in  a  side  room  while  the  pastor 
was  trying  to  see  what  was  best  to  do.  The  German  gen- 
eral had  sent  word  that  he  would  try  and  punish  all 
Boxer  leaders.  Much  to  the  displeasure  of  the  men  who 
caught  him,  Dr.  Ament  told  him  that  if  he  would  pay 
enough  to  support  a  young  widow  and  a  little  child,  all 
that  was  left  of  the  large  family,  he  would  spare  him. 
This  the  man  agreed  to  do  and  the  money  was  brought 
the  next  day.  Regarding  the  payment  of  indemnities,  it 
early  became  evident  that  foreign  governments  would 
bear  no  part  in  insisting  that  China  pay  indemnities  for 
the  losses  of  her  own  subjects.  And  yet  if  restitution  of 
some  sort  was  not  demanded,  it  would  be  difficult  for  the 
native  Christians  to  return  to  their  places  and  live  in 
peace,  since  the  people,  if  not  punished,  would  feel  that 
after  all  China  had  in  some  way  gotten  ahead  of  the  Oc- 
cidentals." 

One  may  close  the  incidents  of  this  settlement  and  re- 
construction by  quoting  once  more  from  Dr.  Ament  as 
reported  in  the  New  York  Tribune  of  March  30,  1901. 

^' There  seemed  very  little  hope  of  native  Christians 
receiving  anything  through  the  instrumentality  of  their 
officials,  nor  did  the  foreign  powers  think  they  were 
called  upon  to  provide  indemnity  for  these.  All  the 
survivors  of  the  churches  were  reduced  to  absolute  pov- 
erty. They  were  harmless,  inoffensive  people  who  had 
no  feuds  with  their  neighbors  and  had  not  intruded  their 
religion  on  any  one.    This  at  least  was  true  of  the  Prot- 


252  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

estant  Christians.  If  a  missionary,  by  means  of  his  per- 
sonal influence  and  by  the  assistance  of  the  local  ofacial 
who  might  be  friendly  to  him,  could  bring  the  neighbors 
of  his  persecuted  people  to  see  the  error  of  their  ways, 
and  persuade  them  to  contribute  money  for  the  rebuild- 
ing of  destroyed  houses  and  for  the  support  of  the  survi- 
vors of  the  families,  I  think  he  was  justified  in  so  do- 
ing.'^ 


"  Arise  and  go  forth  from  the  house  of  your  care 
To  the  sweep  and  the  sweet  and  the  swing  of  the  air. 
The  glow  of  the  hills  and  the  mist  of  the  vales 
And  the  velvet  bloom  leading  us  down  to  the  dales." 

— Anon. 

We  admire  the  man  who  embodies  victorious 
efforts,  the  man  who  never  wrongs  his  neighbor, 
who  is  prompt  to  help  a  friend,  but  who  has  those 
virile  qualities  necessary  to  win  in  the  stern  strife 
of  actual  life. 

— r.  B. 
XYIII 
A  MISSIONARY  FURLOUGH 

OlS  the  11th  of  February  Dr.  Ament  ha«[  written, 
'*  My  plans  are  iDdefinite,  scheming  to  get  home 
as  soon  as  possible."  The  long  stress  of  the 
siege  and  the  constant  labor  in  settling  the  affairs  of  the 
church  made  it  most  desirable  that  he  should  have  some 
respite  from  the  arduous  tasks  thrown  upon  him.  The 
attacks  upon  him  in  the  newspapers  at  home  made  it  all 
the  more  desirable  that  he  should  return,  and  give  a 
personal  account  of  himself  and  especially  of  his  recent 
work  in  Peking.  It  was  with  a  real  zest  that  he  found 
it  possible  to  start  for  home  early  in  April.  Among  the 
many  pleasures  of  the  homeward  journey  was  the  presence 
of  the  American  minister  to  China,  Major  Conger,  with 
whom  he  had  endured  the  perils  of  the  siege  and  had 
received  the  thrills  of  rescue  and  escape.  In  a  letter  to 
his  wife,  just  as  they  were  appix)aching  the  California 
coast.  Dr.  Ament  writes  enthusiastically,  *' The  Congers 
are  full  of  kindness.  Everybody  has  been  kind,  and  so 
sorry  that  I  have  been  abused  in  the  newspapers.  I  can 
stand  anything,  if  my  friends  who  know  me  stand  by  me. 
I  saw  Twain's  second  article  at  Honolulu.  There  is 
nothing  which  a  few  words  of  explanation  cannot 
answer. ' ' 

253 


254  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

The  relations  of  Mr.  Conger  to  the  missionaries  were 
of  the  most  cordial  kind.  The  intimacies  of  the  terrible 
siege  had  brought  them  into  the  closest  sympathy.  The 
character  of  the  native  Christians  won  from  Mr.  Conger 
the  highest  praise.  His  wise  and  sympathetic,  not  to  say 
Christian,  judgment  could  not  but  admire  the  enduring 
constancy  of  the  natives  who  bore  the  brunt  of  labor 
during  the  siege.  The  high  praise  over  good  work  done 
in  raising  the  standards  of  character  through  Christian 
effort  which  Mr.  Denby  and  Mr.  Conger  have  given  is 
most  important  testimony.  In  her  charming  **  Letters 
from  Peking,'^  Mrs.  Conger  has  emphasized  her  own  and 
her  husband' s  interest  in  mission  work  and  workers.  In  a 
letter  of  December  31,  1900,  she  writes  :  ^'  I  must  tell  you 
of  a  beautiful  and  valuable  gift  presented  to  Mr.  Conger 
by  the  Protestant  Christian  Chinese  in  gratitude  for  what 
he  had  done  for  them.  On  the  24th,  foreign  representa- 
tives of  different  missions  came  with  many  of  their  native 
Christians,  who  were  bearing  an  elegant  tablet,  resting 
on  a  large  catafalque  and  sheltered  by  canopies  of  em- 
broidered satin.  This  catafalque  was  carried  upon  large 
red  poles  by  many  men.  The  beautiful  tablet  came 
bearing  respect  and  gratitude  to  Mr.  Conger  for  the 
sympathy  he  had  shown  and  the  help  he  had  given  them. 
One  of  the  Chinese  pastors  made  some  very  bright, 
pointed,  and  feeling  remarks  in  presenting  this  tablet. 
It  is  a  beautiful  thing  in  itself  and  the  thought  most 
beautiful  that  manifested  it." 

On  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Conger  and  Dr.  Ament  at  Kobe 
in  Japan  the  attacks  upon  Dr.  Ament  had  become  widely 
known.  The  Kobe  Herald  secured  an  interview  with  Mr. 
Conger  upon  the  subject.  He  expressed  his  judgment, 
already  quoted,  in  the  most  emphatic  way,  a  single 
sentence  of  which  may  here  suffice.  '• '  There  were  really 
no  actions  on  the  part  of  the  missionaries  there  that 


0\\  OSSO  CHURCH,  1898  WILLIAM   SCOTT  AMENT, 

WHERE  AMENT  MADE  FAREWELL  1898 

ADDRESS 


MRS.   EMILY   HAMMOND   AMENT 

AGE  75 


MRS.  WILLIAM  S.  AMENT 


A  MISSIONARY  FURLOUGH  255 

were  not  entirely  justified  when  the  circumstances  were 
known." 
From  Japan  Dr.  Otis  Gary  writes : 

After  the  siege  of  Peking,  Dr.  Ament  was  with  me  for  two 
or  three  days.  Among  other  things,  I  remember  that  while  at 
times  he  would  joke  about  the  criticisms  that  had  been  made  on 
his  course  in  providing  afterwards  for  the  needs  of  the  Christians, 
he  would  at  other  times  show  that  he  had  been  deeply  hurt  by 
them.  One  day  when  the  word  ''loot  "  had  been  laughingly 
used  of  something  in  his  possession,  he  said,  "  Here,  look  at 
me,  and  see  how  I  came  out  of  this  business.  I  had  lost  most 
all  my   clothes.     This  hat  that  I  am  wearing  was  given  me  by 

Mr. ,  this  coat  by  Mr. ,  and  the  trousers  came 

from  Mr. .     I  could   not  have  got  out  of  the  country 

decently  if  it  had  not  been  for  my  friends." 

He  had  with  him  two  Chinese,  one  a  pastor  and  the  other,  I 
think,  was  a  teacher  in  one  of  the  mission  schools.  We  were 
impressed  with  the  care  he  took  that  they  should  see  all  they 
could  in  the  short  time  at  their  disposal.  Kyoto  at  that  time 
had  almost  the  only  electric  railway  in  Japan  and  they  were 
especially  interested  in  that.  At  a  meeting  in  one  of  the 
churches  the  pastor  spoke  in  Chinese  and  Dr.  Ament  translated 
this  into  English,  and  a  Japanese  then  interpreted  it  into 
Japanese  for  the  benefit  of  the  audience. 

Dr.  Ament  arrived  from  China  April  25,  1901.  He 
joined  his  wife,  son  and  aged  mother  at  Owosso,  his  home 
from  childhood.  He  was  received  most  enthusiastically 
by  his  old  friends,  especially  proud  of  his  record  during 
the  Boxer  siege  and  its  consequent  labors.  The  recent 
controversy  regarding  him  only  served  to  enhance  the 
widely  extended  interest  in  him  personally.  It  is  scarcely 
true  in  our  blessed  American  land  that  a  man  is  not  with- 
out honor  except  in  his  own  country.  Our  American 
prophets  have  accumulated  honor  among  their  own, 
and  especially  when  they  deserve  the  highest  praise  for 
good  deeds  well  done.  It  was  a  rare  pleasure  to  Dr. 
Ament  to  receive  so  signal  a  reception  in  his  own  home. 


256  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Dr.  Ament  soon  hastened  eastward  to  report  to  the 
mission  board  at  Boston,  where  he  had  a  most  hearty 
welcome  and  an  assurance  that  the  mission  board  under- 
stood fully  the  conditions  of  affairs  in  Peking  and  the 
occasion  for  the  fierce  attacks  upon  his  discretion  and 
honor,  by  those  wholly  ignorant  of  the  facts  in  the  case, 
or  unnecessarily  determined  to  cast  suspicion  on  mission 
workers  in  North  China.  From  Boston  Dr.  Ament  went 
to  New  Haven,  to  account  for  himself  to  the  Dwight  Place 
Congregational  Church  which  had  adopted  him  early  in 
the  year  as  its  missionary.  An  annual  letter  as  well  as 
others  will  show  how  delightful  such  a  relationship  can 
become  when  rightly  formed.  The  first  of  these  letters 
was  written  in  the  early  spring,  a  month  before  starting 
for  the  United  States. 

Peking,  China,  March  4,  igoi. 
Rev.  W.  W.  Leete,  New  Haveri,  Conn. 

Dear  Dr.  Leete  : — In  a  letter  dated  January  5th,  just 
received  from  Dr.  Judson  Smith,  I  am  informed  that  I  have 
been  adopted  as  the  missionary  of  the  Dwight  Place  Congrega- 
tional Church  of  New  Haven.  I  well  recall  my  visit  with  your 
church  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  American  Board  in  1897. 
There  w^as  a  fine  congregation  in  the  morning.  I  enjoyed  the 
service  from  beginning  to  end.  The  Sunday-school  impressed 
me  as  prosperous  and  ably  conducted.  1  count  it  to  be  a  great 
privilege  to  be  selected  as  your  representative  on  the  foreign 
field  and  assure  you  I  shall  do  my  best  to  merit  your  constant 
interest  and  intelligent  support. 

As  you  well  know  missions  in  Peking  have  been  passing 
through  a  maelstrom  of  trial  and  sorrow  during  the  last  few 
months.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  of  my  people  were  barbar- 
ously butchered,  and  all  our  churches  and  other  buildings  have 
been  burned  to  the  ground.  The  stories  our  survivors  tell 
would  melt  a  heart  of  stone.  Old  women  were  chopped  in 
pieces  and  the  fragments  thrown  to  the  dogs.  Little  children 
were  tossed  up  on  spears  or  sliced,  being  held  by  one  foot. 
Even  yet  all  our  refugees  have  not  returned,  having  fled  as  far 
as  a  thousand  miles  to  the  north.     Such  was  the  centrifugal 


A  MISSIONARY  FUELOUGH  257 

force  of  this  great  uprising.  We  are  living  in  the  residence  of 
a  broken  down  Mongol  prince,  who  evidently  thought  he 
might  retrieve  his  fortunes  by  assisting  in  the  destruction  of  the 
Christian  church,  although  we  have  been  neighbors  for  twenty 
years  and  so  far  as  I  know  there  has  been  no  trouble.  We  now 
use  his  temple  for  the  worship  of  ancestors  as  our  place  of 
worship,  and  it  is  crowded  every  Sunday  with  an  audience  of 
250  people.  Last  Sabbath  we  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving 
eighteen  people  on  probation.  The  way  seems  opening  for  a 
large  advance  all  along  the  line. 

I  think  we  have  a  right  to  look  for  large  results  in  the  near 
future.  The  uprising  was  but  very  partially  due  to  opposition 
to  the  missionary  work  and  its  teachings.  Many  correspond- 
ents and  military  officers  came  to  North  China  with  their  minds 
fully  made  up  that  we  were  the  authors  of  all  the  trouble  and 
have  been  very  reluctant  to  give  up  this  idea,  but  I  think  the 
tide  is  turning  now  and  soon  messages  of  a  different  tenure  will 
come  from  this  region.  Misunderstandings  have  been  cleared 
up  and  some  have  been  free  to  say  that  they  have  been  mis- 
taken. All  we  ask  from  any  one  is  fair  play  and  an  honest 
spirit  of  investigation.  This  we  have  not  had,  as  too  many 
opinions  were  formed  without  reference  to  the  real  sources  of 
information. 

At  present  I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  report  that  our  work  is 
moving  on  finely.  Helpers  are  in  the  country  and  preaching 
is  going  on  nearly  as  formerly.  I  trust  our  church  will  be  a 
cleaner,  purer  and  more  progressive  church  than  ever  before 
and  that  from  the  ashes  of  her  persecutions  she  will  rise  into  a 
higher  life.  I  think  we  can  see  the  red  streaks  of  the  dawn  of 
a  better  day  for  the  church  in  the  celestial  empire.  I  hope  to 
make  a  brief  visit  to  the  United  States  and  will  doubtless  be  in 
New  England  in  the  month  of  May. 

Trusting  that  you  and  your  church  will  be  richly  favored 
with  spiritual  blessings,  I  remain 

Yours  fraternally, 

W.  S.  A. 


It  was  natural  that  Dr.  Ament  should  visit  New  Haven 
as  early  as  possible  after  his  arrival  and  a  brief  visit  to 
his  personal  friends  in  Michigan. 

The  New  Haven  Journal  and  Courier  of  May  9th  gives  the 


258  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

announcement  of  Dr.  Ament's  arrival  and  a  notice  of  his 
appointment  to  speak  that  evening  in  the  following  terms  : 
*'Eev.  Dr.  Ament,  the  missionary,  whose  part  in  recent 
events  in  China  has  been  so  widely  discussed  in  this  coun- 
try, will  deliver  to-night  at  Dwight  Place  Church  his  first 
address  in  this  country  since  his  arrival  from  China.  Dr. 
Ament  has  arrived  in  Boston  and  will  reach  New  Haven 
to-day.  Dr.  Ament  was  an  important  leader  during  the 
trying  days  of  the  siege  and  was  actively  engaged  in  re- 
establishing the  work  as  far  as  possible  at  Peking.  He  is 
considered  one  of  the  most  excellent  missionaries  of  the 
American  Board,  and  deserves  the  hearty  confidence  and 
sympathy  of  God's  people."  The  New  York  Tribune  of 
May  10th  publishes  a  special  despatch  from  New  Haven 
summarizing  this  address : 

''New  Haven,  Conn.,  May  9th.  The  Eev.  Dr.  W.  S. 
Ament  addressed  an  audience  to-night  on  the  missionary 
situation  in  China  and  on  the  criticisms  which  have  been 
directed  against  him  by  Mark  Twain  and  others.  He 
vigorously  defended  the  missionaries  in  their  actions  after 
the  uprisings  had  subsided,  particularly  in  relation  to 
the  indemnities  collected  by  them  to  make  up  for  the 
losses  incurred  by  the  native  Christians  under  his  protec- 
tion. Dr.  Ament  emphatically  denied  that  the  mission- 
aries and  himself  had  misused  their  powers  to  collect 
indemnity,  as  alleged.  As  to  the  much  criticized  collec- 
tion of  one-third  extra,  Dr.  Ament  said  :  '  When  we  came 
to  distribute  to  the  people  about  the  districts,  we  col- 
lected the  indemnity  due  the  native  Christians,  and 
added  with  the  approval  of  Li  Hung  Chang  an  extra  one- 
third  for  the  benefit  of  the  widows  and  orphans  who  had 
lost  no  property,  having  none  for  which  indemnity  could  be 
collected.^  This  step  was  upheld  by  every  one  in  Peking 
at  the  time." 

The  New  Haven  papers,  the  Falladium  and  the  Journal 


A  MISSIONARY  FURLOUGH  259 

and  Courier  of  the  same  date,  give  summaries  of  this  ad- 
dress. ^'Despite  the  bad  weather  a  fair-sized  audience . 
gathered  to  hear  Rev.  Dr.  Ament  tell  of  his  recent  expe- 
riences during  the  siege  of  Peking.  Dr.  Ament  did  not 
specifically  consider  the  charges  of  Mr.  Clemens.  Rather 
he  confined  himself  to  a  general  review  of  the  Boxer  up- 
rising, its  cause,  progress  and  results,  and  gave  a  lively 
and  interesting  running  story  of  the  events  in  the  lega- 
tions from  day  to  day  during  the  siege  and  thereafter. 
The  question  of  that  '  one-third  more  indemnity '  which 
Mark  Twain  so  vigorously  threshed  in  his  second  article 
in  the  North  American  Beview  was  carefully  and  lucidly 
explained  by  Dr.  Ament.  According  to  his  statement, 
this  *  one-third  more '  was  not  an  extra,  but  was  in  fact  a 
part  of  the  whole  and  was  to  be  awarded  to  those  sufferers 
who,  not  having  sustained  the  loss  of  houses  burned  and 
property  looted,  simply  because  they  possessed  neither, 
yet  had  suffered  approximately — in  that  their  husbands, 
brothers,  those  who  had  earned  the  living  on  which  they 
depended,  had  been  sacrificed — and  therefore  this  ^  extra ' 
so  called,  had  been  awarded.  All  this,  too,  on  the  agree- 
ment with  Li  Hung  Chang  and  his  appointed  assistant. 
The  plan  seemed  wise  and  just,  the  only  remedy,  in  fact, 
at  that  time,  and  it  was  successful  in  relieving  the  dis- 
tress. We  were  ten  thousand  miles  away  and  in  ig- 
norance of  the  discussion  going  on  here,  and  we  did  the 
best  we  could  with  our  light." 

The  cordial  reception  which  he  received  from  the 
D wight  Place  Church  lifted  a  perceptible  load  from  Dr. 
Ament.  The  intelligence  and  the  appreciation  of  the 
work  in  North  China  shown  by  his  listeners  gave  him 
the  assurance  that  his  wearying  work  was  well  under- 
stood. Such  cordiality  and  growing  interest  served  to 
modify  almost  from  the  first  the  effect  on  him  of  the 
caustic  criticisms  of  those  who  had  attacked  him. 


260  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

From  the  time  of  Dr.  Ament's  arrival  in  the  East  he 
was  kept  very  busy  making  addresses  to  audiences  large 
and  small  eager  to  hear  at  first  hand  the  story,  still  so 
thrilling,  of  the  siege  and  its  concomitants.  Among  ihe 
earliest  of  these  addresses  was  one  given  in  New  York  at 
a  banquet  in  honor  of  the  Honorable  E.  H.  Conger,  United 
States  Minister  to  China,  by  the  American  Asiatic  As- 
sociation. This  association  of  merchants  and  old  China 
hands  who  had  special  interests  in  trade  or  diplomacy 
was  organized  in  1896  to  facilitate  the  development  of 
China  in  commercial  and  all  other  beneficial  ways.  Many 
of  the  great  merchants  of  New  York,  as  well  as  the  great 
benefactors,  were  members  of  the  association.  The  pres- 
ence of  Mr.  Conger  afforded  an  opportunity  for  exploiting 
Chinese  affairs  such  as  they  were  always  desirous  of  using 
as  wisely  as  possible. 

Through  Dr.  C.  C.  Creegan,  the  local  secretary  of  the 
American  Board,  an  invitation  was  extended  to  Dr. 
Ament.  The  banquet  was  spread  at  Delmonico's  and  was 
a  very  elaborate  affair.  Some  four  hundred  of  the  prin- 
cipal bankers  and  business  men  of  the  city  were  honored 
with  an  invitation  to  meet  Mr.  Conger. 

Subsequent  to  the  imposing  banquet,  Mr.  Conger  was 
presented  to  the  association  and  made  an  admirable  ad- 
dress. He  was  heard  most  cordially.  At  the  close  of  his 
address  he  spoke  a  few  words  of  the  highest  appreciation 
of  the  services  rendered  by  a  missionary  in  North  China, 
especially  referring  to  the  heroic  services  of  Dr.  Ament. 
Dr.  Ament,  who  had  a  seat  of  honor  next  to  Minister 
Conger,  was  then  called  upon  to  speak.  When  he  arose, 
every  man  there  sprang  to  his  feet  and  the  cheering  lasted 
a  long  time.  Coming  as  this  reception  did  from  the  lead- 
ing business  men  of  New  York  City,  it  was  felt  to  be  a 
wonderful  tribute  to  Dr.  Ament  and  a  fitting  rebuke  to 
his  critics.     Dr.  Ament  made  an  address  which  was  re- 


A  MISSIONARY  FURLOUGH  261 

ceived  with  great  enthusiasm.  One  would  like  to  quote 
from  each  of  these  significant  addresses.  Those  who  are 
especially  interested  will  find  them  duly  recorded  in  full 
in  the  journal  of  the  American  Asiatic  Association  in  the 
bound  volume  for  1901.  Immediately  following  the  New 
York  address  was  one  in  Boston,  given  before  the  Twen- 
tieth Century  Club,  the  members  of  which  were  equally 
interested  in  hearing  at  first  hand  the  story  of  the  recent 
events  in  China.  Here  as  elsewhere  the  address  was  re- 
ceived with  real  appreciation.  It  was  such  receptions 
as  these  which  made  it  possible  to  drop  henceforth  any 
reference  to  the  controversy  as  regarded  himself  and  his 
methods,  and  to  devote  his  whole  energy  to  the  finer  work 
of  explaining  the  growth  of  the  Christian  Church  in  China 
which  had  been  able  to  exhibit  so  nobly  and  signally  its 
firmly  grounded  faith,  which  neither  blood,  nor  fire,  nor 
death  could  shake  or  destroy.  The  noble  army  of  China 
martyrs  is  to  stand  as  the  rich  ensample  for  those  who, 
for  Christ's  sake,  may  still  be  called  to  suffering  and  sac- 
rifice. 

Among  the  subsequent  addresses  of  Dr.  Ament  none 
was  perhaps  more  noticeable  than  that  delivered  before 
the  great  International  Christian  Endeavor  Society,  held 
at  Toronto  in  the  summer  of  this  year.  Dr.  Ament  had 
been  an  ardent  endeavorer  in  China,  and  had  been  elected 
a  trustee  for  China  of  the  World's  Christian  Endeavor 
Union.  When  he  was  presented  to  the  great  audience  at 
Toronto,  more  than  three  thousand  filling  the  auditorium, 
he  was  greeted  most  enthusiastically  with  the  famous 
Christian  Endeavor  salute.  His  address  under  the  spell 
of  such  a  reception  was  among  the  best  he  had  ever  de- 
livered. The  months  of  the  summer  and  autumn  were 
spent  at  the  West  in  visiting  the  churches  and  telling  the 
story  of  the  great  siege  and  the  result  of  the  planting 
of  the  Christian  faith  in  China.     Most  of  the  Western 


262  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

states  hold  their  Congregational  Association  of  churches 
in  the  early  autumn.  Dr.  Ament  attended  many  of  these 
in  Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  Nebraska  and  the  Dakotas. 
He  was  received  with  very  deep  interest  and  acceptance 
and  returned  from  the  long  circular  trip  with  an  ardent 
sense  of  the  great  fellowship  of  churches,  and  the  warmth 
and  heartiness  of  their  appreciation  and  welcome. 

Early  in  October,  the  annual  meeting  of  the  American 
Board  was  held  at  Hartford,  Conn.  There  was  a  very 
large  attendance  of  corporate  and  honorary  members. 
On  the  evening  assigned  to  the  China  missions.  Dr.  Ament 
was  the  principal  missionary  speaker.  His  presence  and 
the  assurance  that  he  would  speak  at  this  meeting  had 
been  fully  announced.  The  audience  which  greeted  his 
appearance  on  the  platform  was  a  very  fine  one,  for  the 
good  people  of  Hartford  seemed  willing  to  give  their  own 
response  to  the  criticisms  of  their  citizen,  Mr.  Clemens. 
It  may  have  been  true  that  the  crowd  of  three  thousand 
wnich  packed  the  opera  house  were  expecting  to  hear  a 
passionate  defense  of  himself,  and  perhaps  an  attack  upon 
his  accuser.  The  whole  audience  was  of  one  mind  in 
greeting  with  enthusiasm  the  heroic  and  now  widely 
known  missionary.  His  address,  as  reported  in  the  Hart- 
ford papers,  was  a  signal  one.  Not  a  word  of  reprisal  or 
of  self-vindication.  His  theme  was  the  redemption  of 
China.  During  the  hour  allotted  him  he  poured  himself 
out  in  an  account  of  mission  work  in  China,  presented 
with  all  his  ardent  belief  that  henceforth  Christianity  was 
to  be  the  influence  that  would  make  itself  a  permanent 
and  profound  impression,  the  environment  that  must 
mould  and  guide  the  progress  and  the  uplift  of  the  Mid- 
dle Kingdom. 

The  comment  of  the  Hartford  Courant,  the  following 
morning,  showed  how  completely  this  address  disarmed 
criticism  in  the  very  home  of  Mr.  Clemens.     In  fact  it 


A  MISSIONARY  FURLOUGH  263 

aroused  fresh  interest  in  mission  work  and  won  for  Dr. 
Ament  a  greatly  increased  circle  of  friends  and  admirers. 
There  was  a  kind  of  magnanimity  illustrated  which  could 
but  assure  for  him  new  appreciation  and  friendships. 

Oberlm,  Ohio,  Dec.  5,  igoi. 
Dear  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Leete  : 

I  am  glad  to  say  we  are  comfortably  settled  in  Oberlin 
and  greatly  enjoy  our  opportunities  here.  The  Messiah  is  to 
be  rendered  soon  and  will  be  the  event  of  the  season.  We 
claim  for  Oberlin  the  best  conservatory  of  music  outside  of  Bos- 
ton. I  go  to  Michigan  and  Illinois  for  brief  visits,  and  then 
go  to  New  York  and  Brooklyn  to  spend  the  month  of  February. 
1  expect  to  address  the  Manhattan  Association,  Wednesday, 
January  29th.  The  spirit  of  the  churches  in  the  West, 
Nebraska,  Kansas  and  other  states  is  delightfully  warm  and  the 
religious  note  is  high.  I  feel  buoyed  up  by  the  association 
with  dear  brethren  in  these  places.  I  get  good  news  from  my 
colleagues  in  China.  Our  chapels  are  full  of  inquirers  and  all 
the  work  seems  moving  along.  The  death  of  Li  Hung  Chang 
will  work  for  good.  His  successor  is  in  earnest  for  reform  and 
is  willing  to  sacrifice  to  attain  that  end. 

Yours  fraternally, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

Oberlifi,  Dec.  24,  igoi. 
To  Miss  Schirmer  : 

I  suppose  no  one  can  tell  how  many  hundred  miles  I 
have  travelled  since  1  saw  you  last.  I  have  been  east  and 
west,  in  the  middle  states.  Now  I  am  with  my  dear  family  for 
a  brief  season.  January  12th,  I  start  for  St.  Louis  for  a  week 
and  on  January  26th  I  begin  a  campaign  in  New  Jersey,  Brook- 
lyn and  New  York.  I  speak  in  Dr.  Hillis's  church.  Dr.  Cad- 
man's  and  many  others.  I  have  worked  hard  during  the  last 
seven  months,  but  as  the  people  have  been  so  sympathetic  and 
friendly  I  have  not  felt  the  burdens,  so  true  it  is  that  love  light- 
ens labor.  We  find  Oberlin  a  very  pleasant  home.  The  at- 
mosphere is  intellectual,  music  is  in  the  air  and  the  moral  tone 
is  high.  Every  one  is  busy.  We  find  hardly  time  to  call  on  a 
few  old  friends.  Good  news  from  China.  People  are  flocking 
to  the  chapels  and  the  country  is  settling  down  to  a  better  growth 


264  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

than  before.  We  hope  to  go  back  to  China  some  time  in  the 
late  spring.  May  you  have  a  joyous  and  deUghtful  time  re- 
calling the  Christ  Child. 

Oberlinj  Dec.  31  y  igoi. 
To  THE  Same  : 

We  are  a  happy  family.  Christmas  in  our  home,  good 
health,  and  under  our  own  roof.  What  more  can  people  want 
in  this  world's  things  ?  Thank  you  for  your  generous  gift.  I 
must  visit  several  places  in  Brooklyn  and  can  stay  in  no  place 
long.  It  will  be  a  busy  five  weeks  which  I  shall  spend  in  and 
around  New  York,  then  comes  the  preparation  and  the  flit  for 
China.  Mother  and  the  boy  must  be  left,  and  our  hearts 
nearly  rent  in  twain,  but  the  problem  is  clearer  now  than  it 
was  two  months  ago.  Mother  is  more  cheerful  and  will  go 
back  to  Owosso,  and  be  among  old  friends  and  sights.  She 
will  then  be  happy.  Good-bye,  dearly  beloved  friend  of  so 
many  years.  I  am  some  like  the  Chinese  and  cling  to  old 
friends. 

Oberlin,  Ohio,  March  21,  igo2. 
Dear  Dr.  Leete  : 

Our  date  for  sailing  from  San  Francisco  is  fixed  at 
May  9th.  I  am  just  rested  up  from  a  very  hard  campaign  in 
New  York  which  drew  heavily  on  my  physical  resources. 
Mrs.  Ament  goes  on  Monday  to  Michigan  to  attend  the  meet- 
ing of  the  state  branch  of  which  she  is  president.  Early  in 
April  I  go  to  our  old  home  in  Michigan,  Owosso,  and  rein- 
state my  mother,  where  she  will  not  be  quite  so  homesick  as 
she  has  been  here.  Although  eighty-four  years  old  in  May, 
mother  is  in  good  health  and  I  see  no  reason  why  she  may  not 
be  here  waiting  for  us  at  the  end  of  our  next  term  of  service. 
My  boy,  now  in  the  academy  at  Oberlin,  with  Miss  Wyett, 
Mrs.  Ament's  aunt,  will  hold  the  house  together  at  Oberlin. 
The  calls  are  loud  and  imperative  from  China.  Full  chapels 
are  reported  and  work  is  opening  on  every  side.  What  is  to 
become  of  the  old  empire  no  one  can  prophesy.  Nothing  but 
truth  can  satisfy  them  and  the  poor  bewildered  people  know 
not  where  to  turn.  We  want  to  be  on  the  frontier  where  the 
battle  is  hottest  and  do  our  share  to  turn  the  current  of  aff'airs 
in  the  right  direction. 

In  a  certain  sense  we  are  jumping  into  the  dark  in  going 


A  MISSIONARY  FURLOUGH  265 

back  just  now.  The  place  where  the  station  resides  at  present 
belongs  to  the  Chinese  government  and  must  be  given  up  in 
October.  The  Board  has  advanced  ;^  10,000  on  indemnity  ac- 
count but  our  new  house  cannot  be  put  up  and  made  ready 
for  us  for  residence  before  next  year.  I  am  glad  to  return  to 
China  with  the  clear  conviction  that  the  tide  of  interest  in 
world-wide  work  is  rising  and  that  our  churches  are  working 
as  never  before  in  harmony  with  the  teachings  of  Christ. 
Some  divergence  from  traditional  observances  and  teachings 
do  not  indicate  any  loosening  of  the  tie  that  binds  to  the  Per- 
sonality of  the  Master. 

Yours, 

W.  S.  A. 


It  is  only  sober  truth  and  no  fanciful 
conceit,  to  say  that  men  and  women 
still  are  called  upon  to  the  help  of  the 
Master,  to   share   His   burden  for  the 


world. 


— Henry  Kingman. 


XIX 

RENEWALS  AT  PEKING 

LEAVIN^G  San  Francisco  May  14th  the  travellers 
arrived  at  Peking  four  weeks  later,  after  a  very 
propitious  j  ourney .  Great  changes  were  in  proc- 
ess on  their  arrival.  The  commission  appointed  to 
consider  claims  and  indemnities  had  assembled.  In 
the  assurance  that  indemnities  would  be  duly  paid  the 
missions  were  hastening  to  begin  rebuilding.  Mr.  Stelle, 
formerly  of  Dr.  Gilbert  Eeid's  mission,  had  permanently 
joined  our  mission  and  was  rendering  invaluable  aid  in 
reestablishing  the  mission  in  its  old  quarters.  Several 
successive  enlargements  had  been  secured  before  1900 
carrying  a  line  of  premises  directly  through  to  the  front 
street.  During  Dr.  Ament's  absence  all  the  remaining 
courts  and  buildings  on  the  east  and  west  had  been 
secured.  These  additions  were  made  at  an  expense  of 
about  $10,000.  It  thus  became  possible  to  have  a  gate- 
way front  on  Teng  Shih  K'ou  and  an  open  expanse  within 
to  the  rear.  It  seemed  advisable  to  form  a  general  plan 
for  the  reconstruction.  The  accompanying  photograph 
shows  the  new  entrance,  over  the  fine  gateway  of  which 
is  carved  in  Chinese  characters  the  name  of  the  mission — 
Kung  Li  Hui — the  Congregational  Mission.  The  new 
buildings  on  the  street  were  the  Front  Chapel,  on  the 
left  the  book  room  of  the  American  Bible  Society.     At 

266 


STREET  CHAPEL  AND  AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY 
ENTRANCE  TO  MISSION  COMPOUND 


RENEWALS  AT  PEKING  267 

tlie  present  time  the  Bible  Society  have  greatly  enlarged 
their  plans.  They  will  have  separate  premises  and  erect 
an  admirable  and  expensive  Bible  house  upon  the  fine 
macadamized  Teng  Shih  K'ou,  a  daily  thoroughfare  for 
officials  and  others  passing  from  the  Ha  Ta  Street  to  the 
west  and  the  imperial  city.  The  photograph  shows  in 
the  deep  vista  the  new  church  building,  an  edifice  of  excel- 
lent architectural  design,  capable  of  holding  1,100  people. 
The  plan  of  reconstruction  included  on  the  west  of  the 
church  all  the  buildings  of  the  Bridgman  Academy  and 
the  Union  College  for  Women,  and  the  Angell  Memorial 
Bible  Training  School,  with  residence  houses  on  either 
side  of  the  open  space  in  the  centre. 

The  summer  of  1902  was  devoted  to  these  rebuilding 
efforts.  The  care  of  the  rebuilding  fell  in  large  measure 
to  Mr.  Stelle.  One  of  the  residences  on  the  east  side  was 
built  by  the  Yale  Mission  for  the  temporary  residence  of 
Mr.  Thurston.  On  selecting  Hunan  for  the  Yale  centre 
this  residence  reverted,  according  to  agreement,  to  the 
American  Board.  It  is  now  occupied  by  Dr.  Young. 
The  buildings  for  the  Bridgman  School  were  under  the 
care  of  Miss  Porter,  transferred  from  Shantung  to  the 
care  of  the  schools.  The  photographs  will  show  the 
pleasant  house  for  the  ladies  ;  the  new  Union  College 
buildings  comprising  a  two  story  recitation  room,  with 
court  in  front  and  rear,  on  the  latter  of  which  the  dormi- 
tory faces.  Behind  and  north  of  these  are  kitchen  and 
dining-rooms  with  laundry  and  other  necessary  rooms. 
More  recently  other  buildings  completing  the  immediate 
need  for  the  Woman's  College  and  the  Angell  Memorial 
have  been  erected.  Dr.  Ament's  house  was  placed  on  the 
east  side  of  the  transept  of  the  church.  On  that  side  also 
there  has  now  been  erected  from  the  gift  of  the  Tank 
fund  a  prayer  hall,  for  the  lesser  social  gatherings  of  the 
church. 


268  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Peking^  June  28,  igo2. 
Dear  Dr.  Smith  : 

We  reached  our  field  on  June  14th,  and  find  ourselves 
now  after  some  hard  work  fairly  settled.  I  think  without 
doubt  there  will  be  large  opportunity  in  the  future  for  associa- 
tion on  friendly  terms  with  the  gentry  and  ofiicials  of  the 
neighborhood.  We  have  more  friends  than  formerly  and 
more  officials  in  office  call  on  us  than  ever  dreamed  of  coming 
three  years  ago.  As  soon  as  I  can,  I  hope  to  visit  all  our  peo- 
ple, see  their  homes,  hear  their  stories,  and  try  to  get  into  liv- 
ing relations  with  them.  (This  evidently  refers  to  the  imme- 
diate neighborhood  Chinese  and  not  to  the  native  Christians 
alone.)  After  that  I  will  write  my  impressions  of  the  state  of 
the  church  and  our  hopes  of  progress.  They  have  been  put  to 
a  severe  test  which  would  try  the  virtue  of  those  longer  in  the 
Christian  life.  It  is  a  matter  for  gratitude  that  we  are  back  in 
the  old  haunts  and  whatever  the  conditions  we  shall  plan  for 
the  largest  growth  and  upbuilding  of  the  kingdom. 

In  accordance  with  this  plan  Dr.  Ament  visited  the 
country  churches  in  the  districts  of  Liang  Hsiang  and 
Cho  Chou.  The  building  of  his  house  and  the  renewed 
care  of  the  station,  as  well  as  the  long  summer,  made  it 
difficult  to  spend  much  time  in  touring.  In  October  the 
station  had  the  peculiar  joy  of  leaving  the  Mongol  palace 
and  of  returning  to  the  original  home  of  the  station.  For 
two  years  they  had  occupied  the  princely  palace.  The 
large  east  room  in  the  palace  had  served  for  all  the  re- 
ligious services.  In  the  spacious  courts,  Dr.  Ament  had 
met  the  delegations  from  the  villages  and  from  the  native 
Christians  who  needed  his  advice  and  help.  But  it  was 
good  to  be  located  once  more  in  the  old  compound,  de- 
spite the  lingering  dust  and  debris  of  building,  and  the 
utter  absence  of  shrub  or  tree.  It  had  changed  en- 
tirely, no  one  knowing  the  exact  location  of  former  house 
or  spot,  since  the  transformations  were  complete,  and  in 
returning  they  came  to  new  scenes.  Alas,  that  '*  the 
pastures  green,  ^^  the  grand  trees  of  other  days,  and  the 


RENEWALS  AT  PEKING  269 

lovely  flowers  were  gone.  But  these  by  care  and  culture 
could  be  renewed,  while  the  quarters  for  work  were  far 
more  complete  and  healthful  than  the  narrow  court  ways 
and  mildewing  alleys  of  former  days.  For  the  mission  as 
for  the  station,  all  was  practically  new,  except  the  res- 
cued lives  of  the  greatly  depleted  Christian  communities. 
The  report  of  the  Peking  station  for  1900  gave  as  its  num- 
ber of  communicants  811.  The  report  for  the  year  end- 
ing 1901  showed  a  membership  of  only  426.  Two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  had  been  killed  by  the  Boxers.  It  was  an 
indication  of  the  terrible  outcome  of  the  Boxer  days,  and 
yet  full  of  hope,  since  so  large  a  nucleus  remained  for  the 
regathering  of  the  church.  In  October  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Ament  visited  all  the  stations  south  of  Peking.  Miss 
Russell  accompanied  them.  The  railroad  had  been  re- 
paired and  extended,  so  that  they  could  travel  with 
rapidity  and  ease  to  Cho  Chou,  and  thence  diverge  to  the 
stations  southeast  from  this  large  city.  This  railway 
passes  through  three  of  the  out-stations,  Lu  Kou  Ch'iao, 
newly  opened,  Liang  Hsiang  city,  and  Cho  Chou.  The 
southern  limit  of  Dr.  Ament' s  field  adjoined  the  great 
Roman  Catholic  centres  of  Jen  Chiu  and  Hsien  Hsien. 
In  many  of  the  villages  there  was  a  movement  away  from 
the  Catholic  church,  because  of  the  extortions  which  ac- 
companied the  settlement  of  the  indemnities  by  their 
assessors.  There  arose  in  consequence  a  determined 
jealousy  and  hostility  to  the  Protestant  advance,  which 
was  a  source  of  much  trouble.  Despite  this  untoward 
influence,  there  were  found  clear  signs  of  progress. 

Peking,  Nov.  20,  igo2. 
To  Miss  Schirmer  : 

Peking  is  quite  a  different  city  from  what  it  was  two 
years  ago.  Foreigners  abound  and  many  foreign  stores  have 
been  put  up.  Legation  Street  quite  reminds  one  of  a  European 
city.     Streets  are  paved  and  uniformed  policemen  are  seen. 


270  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

My  Mary  is  in  good  health  and  a  tremendous  help  in  our  work 
because  she  has  good  command  of  the  language. 

Have  you  heard  of  the  death  of  Miss  Wyett  in  Oberhn  ? 
She  died  in  Oberlin,  September  7  th,  having  had  a  distressing 
illness  of  not  very  long  duration.  My  mother  is  there  now  and 
seems  quite  contented  to  stay  in  Oberlin,  after  her  summer  at 
Owosso.  My  niece  is  in  Oberlin  College  and  my  nephew  has 
graduated  from  the  mining  college  and  has  a  good  position  in 
Butte,  Montana. 

Many  tourists  are  visiting  Peking  and  I  have  been  hoping 
that  you  would  drop  down  on  us.  You  would  find  Peking  a 
curious  old  city  and  you  would  want  to  give  it  a  good  look 
over. 

I  wish  you  could  see  my  pleasant  study.  Your  books  adorn 
my  new  shelves,  here  are  my  scales  for  weighing  silver,  and  my 
typewriter  is  my  well  beloved  friend.  A  large  imperial  felt  is 
on  the  floor.  It  would  be  an  event  of  a  lifetime  to  visit  this 
worn-out  old  city.  May  best  blessings  follow  you  in  all  things 
and  the  smiles  of  our  Father  be  on  you. 


Late  in  the  year  of  his  return  we  find  him  writing  to 
his  aged  mother. 

Pekingy  Dec.  21,  igo2. 
My  dear  Mother  : 

It  is  Sunday  evening,  and  Mary  has  gone  to  a  meeting 
of  American  soldiers.  I  am  left  alone  and  the  sensation  is  rare 
and  interesting.  I  do  not  think  I  can  improve  my  time  better 
than  by  writing  to  my  beloved  mother.  The  New  Year  is  ap- 
proaching. It  hardly  seems  like  winter  as  the  weather  has 
been  so  unusually  warm  for  this  time  of  the  year.  To-morrow 
the  Emperor  goes  to  worship  at  the  Temple  of  Heaven  and  to 
report  to  high  heaven  his  doings  for  the  year  and  to  crave 
grace  for  the  year  to  come.  His  cavalcade  will  be  long  and 
imposing,  and,  as  he  will  take  so  much  time  in  crossing  the 
railroad,  all  trains  must  be  stopped  for  the  day.  We  are  glad 
that  Emperors  do  not  go  out  every  day.  To-day  the  Presby- 
terian church  was  dedicated.  It  will  seat  about  five  hundred 
people  and  is  very  convenient.  It  will  be  a  glad  day  for  us 
when  our  new  church  is  ready.  As  yet  we  have  no  idea  when 
the  money  will  arrive  for  that  purpose. 


RENEWALS  AT  PEKING  271 

I  was  in  the  country  three  days  last  week.  I  went  to  my 
old  stamping  ground,  Pu  An  Tun,  in  the  Liang  Hsiang  district. 
The  people  were  glad  to  see  me  as  I  had  not  visited  them  since 
my  return  last  June.  This  little  church  had  been  badly  harried 
by  Boxers  and  Catholics  and  some  had  fallen  away.  But  they 
are  all  coming  back  and  sorry  to  find  that  they  had  been  so 
weak.  A  temple  had  been  turned  over  to  us  in  place  of  a 
chapel  that  had  been  pulled  down.  I  have  made  arrange- 
ments with  the  old  priest  to  care  for  him  as  long  as  he  lives 
and  after  that  the  land  is  to  come  to  the  church.  We  needed 
the  priest's  room  for  the  boys'  school,  otherwise  I  do  not  think 
I  could  have  brought  myself  to  have  urged  the  old  priest  to  get 
out.     He  will  find  a  comfortable  room  in  another  temple. 

I  have  some  dizziness,  which  somehow  seems  to  be  associ- 
ated with  my  stomach,  though  I  do  not  see  how.  I  am  getting 
old  and  do  not  rest  up  from  hard  work  as  I  used  to.  I  must 
take  things  a  little  easier.  I  do  not  think  any  one  can  say  that 
I  have  been  lazy  since  I  returned. 

The  annual  report  of  the  mission,  1903,  records  that 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Ament  visited  the  country  stations  in  March 
and  April  of  the  current  year.  It  is  from  a  southern 
station  on  this  tour  that  Mrs.  Ament  writes  the  following 
letter  : 

Nan  Mengy  March  28,  igoj. 
My  dear  Mother: 

This  is  the  fourth  day  in  the  country.  We  spent  a 
night  at  Cho  Chou,  one  at  P'ing  Ting,  and  yesterday  reached 
here.  Everywhere  are  signs  of  life  and  growth.  At  this 
moment  William  is  planning  for  some  new  boys  to  come  to  the 
primary  school  here  from  near  villages.  They  are  to  bring  as 
much  grain  as  they  would  eat  at  home,  and  the  church  here  is 
to  provide  the  running  expenses,  while  the  Board  helps  on 
teacher's  salary.  The  old  helper  here  (Mr.  Hung,  for  a  long 
time  one  of  Dr.  Blodget's  most  efficient  workers)  is  dead  and 
preparations  for  his  funeral  are  in  progress.  A  great  shed  has ' 
been  erected.  Loads  of  grain  stalks  and  piles  of  coal  balls 
are  stacked  up  to  prepare  the  funeral  meats ;  earthen  bowls  are 
piled  up  with  pork.  Dozens  of  fowls  have  been  killed. 
Baskets  of  salt  vegetables  and  coyqtless  cabbages  are  in  readi- 


272  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

ness.  Yards  of  white  cotton  cloth  are  torn  in  strips  for  girdles 
or  sewed  into  head-dresses  for  the  men  and  women,  as  all 
guests  wear  mourning  for  a  while.  All  who  come  bring 
either  money  or  its  equivalent  and  eggs  and  grain  have  been 
flowing  in.  The  great  day  is  Tuesday,  the  day  of  the  burial. 
One  hundred  families  have  been  invited.  I  presume  between 
two  and  three  hundred  persons  will  be  here.  Helper  Hung 
had  been  living  here  several  years  and  his  son  was  pastor  here 
five  years  till  the  troubles,  when  he  disappeared.  It  is  thought 
that  he  fled  to  Mongolia,  and  there  was  a  rumor  that  he  was 
seen  a  year  ago  at  Uliasitai,  way  off  in  Hi,  in  the  far  north- 
west ;  that  he  believed  his  family  to  be  killed  and  was  not 
coming  back.  He  was  a  good  faithful  man,  but  timid  and  was 
frightened  nearly  out  of  his  wits  by  the  Boxers  at  this  place  two 
years  ago.  It  is  hard  to  believe  that  all  these  things  happened 
here  in  this  region,  for  all  seems  quiet  now.  A  crowd  has  just 
come  out  of  the  chapel.  It  seems  that  a  man  working  here  on 
the  funeral  preparations  was  arrested  last  night  as  one  of  a  nest 
of  gamblers  near.  There  was  a  great  racket,  and  for  a  few 
minutes  we  thought  there  was  a  fire.  He  was  coming  away 
from  here  and  the  officers  thought  he  was  escaping  by  means 
of  our  gate,  but  William  got  him  released  and  hence  the  crowd 
came  with  the  man  to  thank  William.  About  sixty-five  at- 
tended the  service.  A  number  of  women  brought  in  eggs, — 
nice  brown  shelled.     I  wish  I  could  fry  some  for  you. 

Monday. — It  rains  slowly.  The  mourners  are  dressed  in 
coarse  white  clothing,  for  the  feast  begins  to-day  and  continues 
four  days.  I  hope  to  see  a  lot  of  women  during  this  time. 
Otherwise  we  should  go  on.  We  have  a  coal  stove  in  our 
room  made  of  bricks  and  plaster  and  set  into  a  wooden  frame. 
It  keeps  my  room  quite  comfortable.  I  mean  with  a  long  coat, 
fur  cape  and  hat  and  extra  underwear. 

Yesterday  the  oldest  son  of  the  pastor,  Jui  Ming — ''Pro- 
pitious Light  " — came  in  with  a  grieved  expression  and  said 
*'My  aunt  calls  me  a  bone."  His  mother  advised  him  to  keep 
out  of  his  aunt's  way  for  a  while.  They  are  pretty  thick  just 
now,  three  wives  and  one  daughter,  with  seven  of  the  ten 
grandchildren  in  these  two  adjacent  courts.  No  wonder  there 
is  occasion  for  the  use  of  strong  language.  If  the  aunt  were 
not  a  Christian  she  would  probably  have  called  the  obstreper- 
ous child  "a  disintegrated  bone"  which  is  the  final  epithet  in 
such  cases.     To-day  William  goes  to  a  village  near  by.     I 


RENEWALS  AT  PEKING  273 

shall    have    enough   to    do   here.     A   man   goes   to   Peking, 
Wednesday,  who  will  take  this  letter. 

Lovingly  yours, 

Mary  Ament. 


P.  S. — I  am  at  home  again.  The  women  and  boys  are 
coming  and  going,  house  cleaning  going  on  in  the  school  court 
and  we  will  be  nice  and  tidy  to  begin. 

The  place  seemed  full  of  building  materials  when  I  went 
away,  but  it  is  crammed  full  now  and  no  hope  of  a  clearance 
for  many  months.  My  Sunday-school  class  of  teachers  seemed 
glad  to  see  me.  While  we  were  studying  the  lesson  together 
William  brought  in  three  children,  three  old  nurses,  a  gentle- 
man and  a  serving  man.  The  old  man  was  one  saved  after 
the  siege,  and  was  one  of  the  donors  of  the  tablet.  The 
children  were  his  son  and  grandsons.  He  has  had  a  wife  and 
three  other  women,  and  all  are  dead.  As  he  ogled  the  pretty 
young  women  in  my  class,  one  of  whom  was  unmarried,  I 
soon  dismissed  them.  He  repeatedly  asked  who  she  was  and 
where  she  lived,  so  I  soon  made  an  excuse  to  get  them  away. 
I  presume  he  will  try  to  get  this  young  lady  for  his  fifth. 
He'll  find  her  parents  are  above  that  arrangement. 

Peking,  May  5,  IQ03. 
To  Dr.  Smith  : 

The  telegram  announcing  the  granting  of  our  request 
for  sums  for  the  new  church  and  a  general  enlargement  was 
received  with  exquisite  delight  at  this  station.  It  is  a  weekly 
problem  what  to  do  with  the  people  who  come  to  our  Sabbath 
services.  Oui  numbers  and  strength  are  growing  rapidly. 
Mrs.  Ament  and  I  have  recently  returned  from  a  long  tour  in 
the  country.  Our  out-stations  are  recovering  from  the  troubles 
of  1900.  We  have  now  more  preaching  places  than  before  the 
outbreak.  We  count  up  now  an  even  twenty  chapels.  Our 
services  are  carried  on  more  or  less  regularly.  Since  last  mis- 
sion meeting  our  additions  have  been  130,  the  largest  addition 
in  one  year  since  the  station  was  opened.  Our  stations  are  so 
arranged  that  now  we  never  are  obliged  to  stop  at  a  Chinese 
inn.  On  this  trip  twelve  deacons  were  ordained  in  six 
churches.  Men  were  chosen  whose  characters  are  respected 
by  all.     Four  new  schools  were  started,  two  of  them  being  half 


274  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

supported  by  the  native  church.  Twenty-eight  people  were 
baptized.  It  has  been  proposed  that  the  young  helpers  at  Cho 
Chou  and  Lu  Kou  Chiao,  both  graduates  of  Tung-chow 
College  and  Theological  Seminary  be  raised  to  the  pastorate. 
This  is  my  wish  and  the  general  consensus  of  opinion  would 
warrant  this  step.  But  one  of  the  young  men  is  so  modest 
that  he  underrates  his  ability,  and  thinks,  also,  his  church 
should  pay  more  of  his  salary  than  they  have  any  ability  to  do 
at  the  present  time.  It  is  a  matter  for  congratulation  that  any 
of  our  helpers  has  reached  the  point  when  he  counts  it  a  matter 
of  moment  that  the  local  church  should  be  responsible  for  his 
support.  Some  helpers  have  looked  forward  with  dread  to 
native  support  as  they  supposed  it  would  cut  them  loose  from  an 
assured  income  given  by  the  mission.  But  Pastor  Jen  has  been 
so  long  and  so  faithfully  supported  by  native  contributions  that 
the  example  is  having  a  good  effect. 

On  our  trip  we  never  heard  one  unpleasant  word,  and  were 
received  most  cordially  everywhere  by  officials  and  people.  I 
am  glad  to  consider  myself  a  friend  of  the  smaller  officials 
whom  it  is  my  privilege  to  meet,  and  I  always  find  that  they 
are  glad  to  help  one  with  all  reasonable  requests. 

Tung-choWy  May  28,  igoj. 
My  dear  Mother: 

We  are  in  the  midst  of  annual  meeting  and  all  are 
very  busy.  Mary  is  here,  also  people  from  Kalgan,  Pao  Ting 
Fu,  Shantung  and  others.  The  Chinese  had  a  good  meeting 
and  went  away  in  good  spirits.  The  outlook  is  good  for  the 
whole  mission.  Many  new  buildings  are  going  up.  We  in 
Peking  are  to  have  a  fine  new  church  buildmg  which  will  seat 
1,152  people.  Mr.  Stelle  looks  after  the  work  and  is  very  busy. 
I  look  after  the  preachers  and  have  many  meetings  on  my  hands. 
We  need  more  schools.  The  Chinese  want  education  and 
know  a  good  school  when  they  see  it.  I  am  writing  in  the 
college  building  which  is  so  constructed  that  it  gets  all  the  sun 
in  winter  and  none  in  summer.  We  had  fine  meetings  among 
ourselves  and  I  think  the  Holy  Spirit  is  in  our  midst. 

I  believe  China  is  going  to  be  converted  and  great  things 
will  take  place  before  long.  I  hope  you  will  pray  hard  for  us 
out  here.  We  have  so  many  things  to  contend  against  and  so 
much  in  ourselves.  I  want  to  be  more  loving  in  my  relations 
with  my  brethren  and  want  more  holiness.     I  used  to  think  I 


RENEWALS  AT  PEKING  275 

could  tell  when  you  were  praying  for  me.  I  think  great  good 
came  to  me  through  your  prayers.  I  hope  you  will  pray  much 
for  our  boy  Will.  His  father  and  mother  are  so  far  away ;  he 
needs  special  help. 

Miss  Porter  is  just  reading  the  report  of  the  Bridgman 
School.  I  wish  you  could  see  what  a  splendid  school  it  is.  I 
think  the  women  of  the  United  States  would  be  pleased  to 
support  such  a  school  if  they  knew  what  it  was.  We  greatly 
enjoy  being  at  Tung-chow,  where  the  air  is  so  pure  and  where 
there  is  a  little  grass.  If  you  wait  a  few  years  we  shall  have  as 
fine  a  college  campus  as  there  is  in  China. 

It  is  pleasant  to  record  here  that  Dr.  Ament's  admi- 
rable colleague,  Mr.  Stelle,  had  found  a  mate  for  himself  in 
Miss  Elizabeth  Sheffield  of  the  Bridgman  School.  Wed- 
ding bells  were  heard  at  Tung-chow  on  the  10th  of  June, 
1903.  A  cheerful  company  of  a  hundred  guests,  includ- 
ing Minister  Conger,  Mrs.  Conger  and  Miss  Campbell, 
and  the  United  States  Consul -General  Eagsdale,  with 
others,  gathered  at  the  house  of  Dr.  Sheffield.  Gifts 
from  the  Empress  Dowager  had  preceded  the  company 
and  her  representative,  the  Duchess  Te,  was  present  to 
witness  a  Christian  wedding  service,  accompanied  by  her 
aunt  and  attendants.  General  Ma  Yu  Kun  and  other 
Tung -chow  officials  presented  gifts  and  greetings.  It 
was  a  happy  event  and  the  station  welcomed  Mrs.  Stelle, 
realizing  what  it  had  gained  in  strength  and  unity  by  the 
coming  of  these  into  the  ranks  of  the  married  workers  of 
the  station. 

It  will  be  fitting  in  this  connection  to  recall  the  great 
influence  of  Mrs.  Conger,  whose  social  prestige  and  wise 
thoughtful ness  as  well  as  humanitarian  impulses  opened 
the  way  for  the  acquaintance  and  the  entrance  of  the 
missionary  influence  upon  this  wider  circle.  The  readers 
of  Mrs.  Conger's  charming  "Letters  from  Peking"  will 
find  recorded  there  the  fuller  accounts  of  the  beginnings 
of  that  influence. 


276  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

On  the  return  of  the  court  from  its  exile  an  audience 
was  given  the  foreign  ambassadors  when  the  ministers 
were  received  in  the  forbidden  city  for  the  first  time. 
On  the  1st  of  February,  1902,  the  ladies  of  the  diplomatic 
corps  were  received  in  like  manner,  Mrs.  Conger  being 
the  dean  among  them.  After  a  second  such  reception 
which  was  more  intimate  and  womanly  in  its  courtesies, 
Mrs.  Conger  decided  to  return  the  compliment  in  a  sim- 
ple way  acceptable  to  Her  Majesty.  The  court  prin- 
cesses were  accordingly  invited  to  tiffin.  All  the  ladies 
of  the  American  Legation  and  army  post  were  invited  to 
assist  and  one  lady  from  each  American  Mission  to  assist 
as  interpreters  and  entertainers.  Mrs.  Conger  writes : 
*'My  missionary  assistants  were  most  proficient."  At 
Mrs.  Conger's  tiffin  at  the  American  Legation,  December 
26,  1903,  a  fine  photograph  was  taken  of  the  court  prin- 
cesses. In  his  more  recent  volume,  ^'  Court  Life  in  Pe- 
king," Dr.  Headland  presents  a  photograph  of  one  of  the 
receptions  at  the  American  Legation,  in  which  each  of 
the  missionary  ladies  acting  as  interpreters  appears. 
Mrs.  Ament  and  Miss  Porter  are  of  that  number. 

The  visiting  princesses  were  naturally  drawn  a  little 
nearer  those  with  whom  they  must  speak  than  to  others. 
Thus  it  came  about  in  a  natural  way  that  the  social  bar- 
riers to  acquaintance  or  intimacy  were  dissolved.  We 
should  interpret  this  as  one  of  the  ways  of  that  interior 
working  of  the  Spirit  of  God  of  which  we  so  often  speak. 
Hearts  of  stone  become  hearts  of  flesh.  Mrs.  Stelle  had 
been  one  of  Mrs.  Conger's  assistants  and  interpreters,  and 
the  Empress  on  learning  of  her  coming  wedding  had  ap- 
pointed Madam  Te  to  attend.  Madam  Te  herself,  as  the 
hostess  for  two  years  of  the  Tung- chow  station  at  the 
Chao  Kung  Palace,  had  naturally  a  special  interest  in 
Miss  Sheffield  and  her  career. 


Forenoon  and  afternoon  and  night — Forenoon 
And  afternoon  and  night, — Forenoon,  and — what? 
The  empty  song  repeats  itself.     No  more? 
Yea,  that  is  life.     Make  this  forenoon  sublime, 
This  afternoon  a  psalm,  this  night  a  prayer. 
And  time  is  conquered,  and  thy  crown  is  won. 

—E.  R.  Sill. 


XX 

COUNTRY  TOURING  AND  ACTIVE  MISSION  WORK 


A 


N  account  of  a  country  tour  taken  by  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Ament  in  the  month  of  July,  1903,  in  a 
letter  to  the  New  Haven  Church  : 


Peking,  Aug.  i8,  igoj. 
Dear  Friends  : 

It  is  always  an  experiment  to  travel  abroad  in  the  months 
of  July  and  August.  It  is  then  we  expect  our  heaviest  storms 
and  worst  roads.  So  it  was  with  some  reluctance  that  we  set 
out  upon  this  trip  which  seemed  sufficiently  urgent  to  justify 
the  effort.  Last  summer  I  had  gone  alone  and  had  met  with 
very  heavy  rain-storms  which,  however,  would  not  impede  an 
old  traveller  lightly  equipped.  This  year  we  were  quite  a  com- 
pany, Mrs.  Ament,  cook  and  boy. 

The  food-box  was  packed,  our  soldier's  cot  folded  into  small 
compass  and  on  July  2d  we  took  the  noon  train  for  our  ride 
of  twenty-five  miles  to  the  city  of  I.iang  Hsiang,  our  first  sta- 
tion. Here  we  left  the  railroad  and  hired  three  carts  for  about 
thirty  cents  each  to  take  us  to  Pu  An  Tun,  a  village  six  miles 
distant. 

We  have  here  a  school  with  eight  boys.  The  preacher  is  a 
simple-minded  man  from  the  province  of  Shantung  who  has 
little  to  commend  him  but  a  warm  heart  and  a  good  character. 
As  so  many  of  our  preachers  were  killed  we  were  obliged  to  use 
what  material  we  could.  But  the  choice  of  this  man  has  been 
justified  by  the  character  of  his  work.  On  Sabbath  the  chapel 
was  filled  to  overflowing  with  sixty-five  people  and  more  stand- 

277 


278  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

ing  about  the  windows.  Four  persons  were  baptized  and  five 
taken  on  probation.  The  new  teacher  for  the  school  was  se- 
cured so  that  the  preacher  can  give  his  whole  time  to  visiting 
other  villages.  This  village  had  just  passed  through  the  triple 
scourge  of  smallpox,  scarlet  fever  and  dysentery.  The  son  of 
one  of  our  young  and  well  beloved  deacons  was  taken  away  as 
well  as  many  others.  In  a  neighboring  village  ninety  deaths 
of  children  were  reported  from  these  causes. 

On  our  way  to  the  next  station  we  stopped  at  the  door  of  the 
Lin  family,  whose  clan  is  so  large  that  it  comprises  nearly  all 
the  people  in  the  village  of  Pei  Lao.  Into  this  family  was  mar- 
ried a  young  woman  from  Pu  An  Tun,  the  mother  choosing 
the  acres  of  the  Lin  family,  instead  of  a  humble  Christian  home. 
But  the  difficulties  began  to  appear.  She  married  into  the 
youngest  generation  of  the  Lins,  and  hence  all  other  members 
of  the  family  are  superior  to  her,  though  some  are  inferior  in 
age.  It  thus  became  her  duty  to  yield  preference  to  them  all, 
and  at  New  Year's  time  to  knock  her  head  to  every  member  of 
the  family  three  times  in  succession,  making  in  all  about  three 
hundred  times.  The  mother  now  regrets  that  the  daughter 
does  not  have  the  freedom  of  a  Christian  home. 

Cho  Chou. — Our  next  objective  was  this  city  where  we  have 
a  large  working  plant.  We  stopped  but  a  few  days,  the  heat 
was  oppressive,  the  people  busy.  We  held  two  or  three  suc- 
cessful evening  meetings  and  held  our  prayer-meeting  on  the 
little  grass  plat  in  the  rear  lot.  Here  the  preacher,  a  well- 
trained  man,  the  Bible  woman,  and  the  school-teacher,  together 
with  a  warm-hearted  deacon,  make  a  force  equal  to  the  work  in 
hand. 

From  here,  in  hired  carts  we  proceeded  to  P'ing  T'ing,  a 
market  town  fifteen  miles  southwest.  We  hoped  to  dedicate 
the  chapel,  but  found  the  work  not  quite  finished,  so  that  was 
deferred  to  the  next  visit.  The  whole  town  was  interested  in 
the  dedication  and  the  leading  merchants  had  contributed 
money  proposing  to  put  up  a  fine  tablet  to  commemorate  the 
occasion.  The  Bible  woman  and  the  Bridgman  School  young 
woman  who  was  assisting  had  done  good  work,  as  was  seen  in 
the  crowd  of  children  who  could  repeat  parts  from  the  cate- 
chism and  other  Christian  books.  The  Sabbath  was  a  notable 
day.  Never  before  had  we  had  here  so  comfortable  a  room  in 
which  to  meet,  and  never  were  so  many  present.  The  hus- 
bands of  two  of  the  women  had  been  killed  by  the  Boxers  in 


TOURING  AND  MISSION  WORK        279 

1900,  and  now  as  loyal  wives  they  wanted  to  walk  in  the  same 
way  their  husbands  had  walked  in.  One  man  and  three  women 
were  received  to  membership.  The  man  was  a  younger  son  in 
a  large  family  and  was  in  terror  lest  his  father  should  know  of 
the  step  taken.  He  was  finally  persuaded  to  make  a  full  breast 
of  the  whole  matter  and  the  older  brother  came  to  see  this  one 
taken  into  the  church,  and  seemed  much  pleased  to  be  there. 
In  our  fine  new  premises  in  this  place,  we  need  a  school  for 
boys  and  hope  soon  to  see  one  started.  We  suffered  greatly 
from  the  heat  in  this  place,  the  chapel  being  situated  just  in  the 
centre  of  the  village  and  odors  were  numerous  and  fresh  breezes 
few. 

From  P'ing  T'ing  to  the  next  chapel  is  a  hard  ride  of  twenty 
miles.  Here  is  the  market  town  of  Nan  Meng.  The  helper, 
Deacon  Yiu  of  Cho  Chou,  was  in  a  good  state  of  mind,  anxious 
to  work  and  cheerful  at  the  prospects  before  the  church.  They 
had  moved  from  their  rented  property  and  occupied  the  new 
premises  recently  purchased.  Here  we  have  reason  to  expect 
that  we  shall  have  a  property  adequate  to  all  the  demands  as 
the  work  expands. 

The  next  morning  as  early  as  possible  to  avoid  the  heat,  we 
set  out  for  the  little  city  of  Pao  Ting, — same  name  as  that  of 
the  capital  of  the  province — where  a  new  chapel,  never  before 
opened,  was  in  process  of  completion.  Helper  Fan  was  here 
and  with  his  young  wife  had  taken  hold  of  things  with  great 
enthusiasm.  This  is  a  new  place  so  far  as  Christian  work  is 
concerned,  and  it  may  be  some  time  before  we  can  report  much 
progress.  It  takes  time  to  get  acquainted  with  the  people  and 
to  secure  their  confidence  so  as  to  warrant  a  genuine  listening 
to  one's  message. 

Mrs.  Ament  met  many  women  here  and  had  some  very  in- 
teresting interviews.  At  one  she  was  warning  them  against 
gambling.  One  old  lady  remarked  :  ^'  Well,  what  can  we  do? 
Our  eyes  are  poor  and  we  cannot  learn  to  read.  We  used  to 
spin  but  the  foreign  yarn  has  come  in  and  we  can  buy  cheaper 
than  we  can  spin.  So  our  occupation  is  gone.  We  have  noth- 
ing to  do  but  to  play  cards."  There  is  much  truth  in  what  the 
old  lady  said.  China  is  going  to  the  wall  commercially.  Her 
tea  is  degenerating,  her  cotton  costs  more  than  foreign  yarn, 
hardly  anything  is  left  for  her.  The  weather  was  so  hot  that 
Mrs.  Ament  decided  to  remain  at  Pao  Ting  while  I  visited  the 
remaining  places.     It  was  also  decided  that  the  remainder  of 


280  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

our  trip  should  be  by  boat  as  there  is  direct  connection  with 
Tientsin  by  the  Ta  Ching — Great  Bright — River.  By  the  kindly 
intervention  of  a  Mohammedan  friend  a  boat  was  hired  and  it 
was  on  hand  for  our  departure,  Monday  a.  m.,  July  20th. 

I  went  first  to  the  Fan  Chia  village  and  viewed  the  new 
chapel  which  was  approaching  completion.  As  usual  the 
deacon  who  was  superintending  the  work  had  gone  beyond  all 
appropriations  and  wanted  more  money.  As  the  church-mem- 
bers, including  the  deacon,  had  spent  the  whole  summer  in  vol- 
untary work,  and  had  done  very  well  in  contributing  work  and 
material,  it  seemed  best  to  add  to  the  previous  sum  granted. 

Near  by  in  a  temple  was  the  boys'  school  which  had  been 
started  by  the  magistrate  of  Pao  Ting,  and  was  now  in  full  op- 
eiaiion  with  eighteen  boys  and  young  men,  six  of  whom  were 
from  Christian  families.  The  prefect  of  Peking  had  told  the 
local  official  that  there  was  to  be  no  distinction  between  appli- 
cants whether  Christian  or  not. 

The  return  was  made  to  Fan  Chia  Chuang  and  Mrs.  Ament 
felt  strong  enough  to  attend  the  service  where  all  were  most 
pleased  to  see  her.  The  unusual  sight  was  seen  in  a  Christian 
chapel  of  the  students  of  a  Chinese  school  and  their  instructors 
sitting  in  quietness  and  order  during  the  service.  The  magis- 
trate has  confiscated  a  Boxer  temple  in  the  next  village  to  the 
one  in  which  our  new  chapel  is  located,  and  the  best  of  rela- 
tions exists  between  them  and  the  church  people.  Six  boys 
from  Christian  families  are  in  the  school,  and  the  whole  school 
is  an  example  of  harmonious  relations  between  the  church  and 
the  village  people.  This  is  as  it  should  be,  and  we  hope  to 
cultivate  the  same  in  other  places. 

Monday  morning,  July  20th,  found  us  safely  established  on 
a  houseboat  bound  for  Tientsin.  Tuesday  evening  we  reached 
Peking.  On  Saturday  of  the  same  week,  Mrs.  Ament  set  out 
for  Pei  Tai  Ho,  the  seaside  resort  for  tired  people.  A  confer- 
ence was  held  at  this  place  August  i8th-30th.  Through  the 
liberality  of  Mr.  Tewksbury,  we  were  requested  to  invite  some 
of  our  native  helpers  to  go  at  his  expense  and  hold  a  sort  of 
summer  school.  This  has  now  been  in  session  several  days  and 
is  proving  eminently  helpful  and  inspiring.  About  sixty  men 
are  in  attendance  from  five  missions  and  seem  to  enjoy  their 
mutual  association  very  much.  This  week  Saturday  we  all  re- 
turn to  Peking  and  soon  will  be  in  the  full  tide  of  autumn 
work. 


TOURING  AND  MISSION  WORK         281 

Peking^  Oct.  g,  1903. 
My  dear  Son  : 

Your  mother  has  been  so  busy  this  week  that  I  do  not 
think  she  has  written  her  usual  letter  to  her  beloved  son.  So, 
as  she  is  in  Tung-chow  looking  after  our  grates,  I  seize  the  op- 
portunity to  write  you  a  few  words.  We  are  anxious  to  hear 
from  you,  how  you  reached  home  after  Saginaw  and  how  you 
found  grandma  and  how  you  are  starting  in  the  high  school. 

I  went  yesterday  to  Fang  Shan  to  take  over  a  chapel  which 
the  London  Mission  is  transferring  to  us.  It  is  a  beautiful 
place  at  the  foot  of  the  hills,  pure  air  and  fine  scenery.  There 
are  only  a  few  Christians  who  have  been  greatly  discouraged 
since  the  troubles.  On  my  way  back  I  called  on  the  official  at 
Liang  Hsiang  and  he  treated  me  royally.  I  remained  to  din- 
ner with  him  and  the  other  officers.  He  gave  to  our  Christian 
village  immunity  from  military  taxes,  a  great  privilege,  and  let 
off  a  man  whom  he  was  going  to  punish  for  a  small  offense.  I 
was  so  pleased  with  him  that  I  took  off  the  revolver  and  belt  I 
had  on  and  gave  them  to  him.  He  also  was  greatly  pleased 
with  the  present  and  sent  me  home  in  his  cart,  and  in  the 
morning  sent  a  finely  caparisoned  horse  for  me  to  ride.  He 
says  he  will  send  his  son  to  our  school.  We  are  waiting  for 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Devins  to  arrive.  You  know  Mrs.  D.  is  your 
mother's  aunt  from  New  York,  and  Dr.  D.  is  the  editor  of  the 
New  York  Observer^  one  of  the  oldest  religious  journals  in  the 
United  States,  and  one  of  the  best. 

Our  new  church  is  rising  rapidly  and  begins  to  look  like  a 
church.  It  will  certainly  be  the  finest  building  in  the  city. 
We  have  just  had  our  house  papered,  and  it  makes  a  great  im- 
provement. If  we  get  in  our  grates  and  our  curtains  up,  we 
shall  feel  as  if  the  great  work  of  getting  settled  in  a  new  house 
was  about  done. 


Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  building  of  a 
house  for  the  Yale  Mission.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thurston  had 
occupied  it  since  their  arrival  in  the  autumn  of  1902. 
During  the  summer  Mr.  Thurston  had  gone  to  Central 
China  to  consider  the  invitation  of  the  Hankow  mission- 
aries to  select  Chang  Sha  as  the  centre  for  the  Yale  Uni- 
versity Mission.     On  returning  through  Shanghai,  Mr. 


282  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Thurston  had  consulted  with  physicians  regarding  the 
state  of  his  health.  The  following  letter  from  Mrs.  Ament 
explains  the  result : 

Peking,  Oct.  2'jy  igoj. 
My  dear  Mother  : 

The  Thurstons  heard  from  the  doctor  they  consulted  in 
Shanghai  that  Mr.  Thurston  has  tuberculosis  and  must  re- 
turn to  America  at  once.  Their  goods  were  mostly  packed  to 
go  to  Hunan,  and  now  they  must  open  boxes,  sell  the  bulky 
things  and  repack.  Mr.  Thurston's  strength  is  small  and  the 
weather  getting  cold.  They  had  got  to  the  point  where  they 
must  break  up  housekeeping,  so  I  invited  them  over.  They 
are  occupying  our  room,  as  we  have  to  go  through  the  south- 
east room  to  get  to  our  much  loved  balcony. 

Friday  William  and  I  went  to  the  southern  city.  Had  a 
long  ride  in  the  sun  which  cured  my  cold,  but  overheated 
William  who  was  on  his  wheel.  I  was  in  a  jinricksha.  So  Sat- 
urday he  complained  of  headache  but  was  about  as  usual  and 
attending  to  the  usual  things.  Saturday  night,  Aunt  Lottie  and 
Dr.  Devins  went  to  visit  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Mission  to 
stay  a  day,  then  to  the  Presbyterian  Mission,  and  so  home  to 
us.  Saturday  night  as  William  was  sitting  by  the  register  in 
an  overcoat,  complaining  of  heat  and  cold  by  turns,  in  came 
Mr.  Wilder  to  preach  for  him  the  next  day.  I  did  all  I  could 
for  William,  as  he  tossed  on  the  balcony  cot  with  fever.  Next 
day  Dr.  Cochrane  saw  him.  He  has  been  coming  twice  a  day. 
It  was  a  clear  case  of  sunstroke,  from  which  he  is  recovering, 
and  if  he  has  a  good  night  to-night  may  get  up  to-morrow  for 
a  little.  I  have  had  the  boys  stay  and  keep  pounding  ice  for 
his  head.  Have  given  him  everything  myself,  as  it  is  critical. 
Now  Mr.  Stelle  has  come  back  and  relieves  the  situation  as  con- 
tractors and  others  were  coming  to  me,  and  I  had  to  write  notes 
for  them  and  translate  for  the  architects. 

Peking,  Nov.  28,  iQOj. 
To  THE  Same  : 

William  ran  down  to  Tientsin  yesterday  to  lecture  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  to  audiences  of  Christian  and 
non-Christian  men  in  the  Kiang  Su  Guild  Hall,  a  building 
seating  about  four  hundred. 


TOURING  AND  MISSION  WOEK         283 

Sunday,  4  p.  m. — William's  coming  ended  my  writing,  for 
there  were  so  many  things  to  talk  about.  As  the  Viceroy  Yuan 
Shih  Kai  announced  that  he  would  be  at  home  to  receive  guests 
on  Saturday,  in  honor  of  the  Empress  Dowager's  birthday, 
William,  Mr.  Cunningham  and  Mr.  Gailey  went  to  the  yamen 
and  saw  the  Viceroy,  whom  William  describes  as  a  very  ordi- 
nary-looking man.  Theatricals  were  in  progress  all  the  time. 
The  little  change  did  William  good.  He  had  perhaps  two 
hundred  out  to  hear  his  lectures,  thoughtful  students,  most  of 
them.  Some  six  hundred  attended  the  evening  lectures  which 
were  of  a  more  popular  character,  with  stereopticon  pictures. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Hinman  are  with  us  now,  in  the  inter- 
ests of  the  Christian  Endeavor,  and  he  spoke  to  their  societies 
and  to  our  church  this  morning.  I  knew  Mrs.  Hinman's 
mother  years  ago,  as  a  child  may  know  an  older  student,  and 
am  enjoying  her  daughter's  strength  of  character.  I  think 
their  trip  among  the  churches  may  do  good,  though  it  hinders 
their  study  of  the  language.  They  have  some  Fuchow  col- 
loquial and  a  little  Southern  Mandarin  which  helps  them  here, 
though  William  interpreted  for  them. 

Love  to  all, 

Mary  P.  Ament. 

Fekingy  Feb.  7,  igo4. 
My  dear  Mother  : 

It  was  splendid  to  get  so  long  a  letter  from  you  on 
Christmas.  Don't  make  hard  work  of  writing  to  us  but  just 
put  down  a  sentence  or  two  to  let  us  know  you  remember  us 
far-away  children.  It  has  been  a  busy  week.  Oh,  but  the 
dust  is  blowing  hard,  and  my  house  is  hopelessly  dirty  and  the 
air  so  dry  that  my  hands  are  cracking  in  many  places. 

Final  examinations  to-day  in  the  Bridgman  School  and 
Mrs.  Sheffield  and  Mr.  Wilder,  the  committee,  are  up  from 
Tung-chow,  and  hard  at  work  hearing  them.  After  prayer- 
meeting  I  am  to  help  decorate  the  chapel  and  friends  have 
bestowed  upon  us  eight  pots  of  beautiful  flowers.  Greens  are 
here  from  Tung-chow  and  the  legation  has  sent  flags.  The 
flowers  are  dwarf  peaches,  double  pear,  jessamine  and  peony 
trees  all  in  the  prettiest  stage  of  bud  and  bloom.  Miss  Chapin's 
geraniums  have  grown  rank  and  will  help  to  make  a  bank  of 
green,  so  we  shall  have  a  cheerful  chapel.  We  have  got  an 
appropriation  for  our  boys'  school  and  the  brick  are  coming  in, 


284  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

as  it  is  cheaper  to  buy  them  before  the  New  Year.  Soon  a  line 
of  old  buildings  will  be  pulled  down  and  the  lumber  laid  aside, 
the  bricks  sorted  into  piles,  the  dirt  also  saved  to  mix  with  the 
lime  when  building.  It  will  be  nice  when  the  era  of  building 
is  over,  and  we  can  settle  down  to  straight  work. 

Sir  Robert  Hart  says  he  thinks  the  Russians  will  back  down 
at  the  last  moment.  News  of  the  first  battle  came  yesterday. 
Japan  sank  a  small  Russian  cruiser. 

Yours  ever, 

Mary. 

Peking^  Feb.  i6,  1904.. 
To  HIS  Mother  : 

This  is  Chinese  New  Year's  Day  and  people  are  coming 
to  make  calls.  First  come  the  servants  on  the  place  and  then 
some  of  the  church-members.  They  present  their  red  cards,  say 
a  few  pleasant  words  and  are  gone.  Soon  the  deacons  of  the 
church  will  be  here  and  the  preachers  and  colporteurs. 
After  that  the  schoolboys  will  appear  in  their  clean  clothes. 

We  had  a  fine  watch-meeting  last  night.  Over  a  hundred 
were  present,  the  chapel  was  warm  and  pleasant  and  all  took 
hold  to  make  the  meeting  a  success.  Dr.  Atwood  was  here 
and  told  us  something  about  Shansi  and  the  resurrection  of 
the  church  there.  Some  of  the  young  men  prepared  a  special 
song  or  so  for  the  occasion  and  twelve  o'clock  arrived  almost 
before  we  were  ready  for  it  after  our  three  hours'  meeting. 
The  Emperor  was  on  hand  at  twelve  exactly  to  go  to  the 
temple  of  his  ancestors. 

Just  now  some  of  our  best  schoolboys  came  to  call.  They 
reflect  honor  on  any  school.  They  were  clean  and  well  dressed. 
One  boy  said  his  father  and  mother  wanted  him  last  night  to 
worship  the  god  of  wealth  but  he  refused  to  do  so  and  came  to 
our  chapel  to  escape.  A  man  just  called  who  had  been  a 
Boxer,  but  is  now  a  reputable  member  of  the  church. 

The  war  has  begun,  but  it  does  not  seem  to  affect  us  in 
Peking.  The  ministers  of  five  powers  have  announced  that 
China  is  to  be  kept  neutral  and  no  other  will  be  allowed  to 
violate  her  territory.  I  have  subscribed  for  Renter's  telegrams 
and  expect  to  keep  as  well  posted  as  possible.  Dr.  Morrison 
of  the  London  Times  thinks  that  great  things  are  to  take  place 
in  China  and  this  war  is  to  be  the  beginning  of  a  new  empire. 
If  Japan  is  victorious,  China  will  fall  into  line  with  modern 


TOURING  AND  MISSION  AYORK         285 

ideas  and  railroads  and  all  modern  improvements  will  be  intro- 
duced. Whether  this  dream  is  realized  remains  to  be  seen.  I 
have  little  hope  for  China  except  in  the  wide  spread  of  the 
Christian  religion.  There  must  be  new  men  before  there  can 
be  a  new  China.  I  am  glad  you  keep  as  well  as  you  do  and 
think  you  will  carry  out  my  plan  for  you  to  live  many  years. 

Peking^  Feb.  z/,  igo4. 
Dear  Dr.  Leete  : 

The  new  conditions  entailed  by  the  war  now  in  opera- 
tion seem  to  suggest  that  you  might  wish  for  information  fresh 
from  the  ''Storm  Centre  of  the  World."  Perhaps  there  is  no 
portion  of  this  planet  where  opinions  are  changing  and  develop- 
ing so  rapidly  as  in  China.  A  few  weeks  ago  the  Chinese  were 
trembling  for  fear  the  Russian  Bear  would  place  his  great  paw 
right  down  on  Peking.  Threats  had  been  made  to  that  effect 
but,  as  the  Russians  said,  it  would  be  only  to  help  the  Chinese 
in  keeping  peace  within  their  own  boundaries. 

Russia  expected  her  plans  to  succeed.  But  there  was  one 
power  which  Russia  did  not  seem  fully  to  understand  and  that 
was  Japan.  The  Japanese  have  proved  themselves  to  be  su- 
perior to  all  other  nations  in  diplomacy.  They  have  been  won- 
derfully patient  and  lenient  when  we  consider  what  they  have 
had  to  endure.  They  have  been  obliged  to  see  Russia  absorbing 
Manchuria,  a  district  conquered  by  Japan  in  fair  conflict  in  1894. 
They  have  had  to  see  the  mighty  fortress  of  Port  Arthur  built 
up  almost  opposite  their  own  coasts  and  they  know  that  Port 
Arthur  was  theirs  by  all  the  laws  of  right  of  the  world.  Not 
only  that,  but  they  had  been  practically  warned  that  they  must 
expect  to  see  their  influence  in  Korea  gradually  decline  as  that 
of  Russia  increased.  When  these  matters  came  up  for  discus- 
sion and  decision,  Japan  had  been  waiting  weeks  on  weeks,  and 
the  whole  world  was  trembling  for  an  answer.  At  the  same 
time  Russia  has  been  pouring  her  troops  and  munitions  into 
Manchuria  and  preparing  for  a  desperate  struggle.  The  fight- 
ing blood  of  Japan  was  aroused.  She  could  endure  the  insults 
no  longer.  Japan  had  gained  moral  victories  before  the  roar 
of  cannon  was  heard.  She  has  shown  patience,  wisdom,  long- 
suffering  and  the  spirit  of  compromise,  all  to  no  avail,  and  the 
only  appeal  was  to  the  sword.  So  Japan  struck  the  first  blow 
and  it  was  a  hard  one.  Russia  complains  of '' treachery," 
but  could  Japan  quietly  sit  by  and  see  these  tremendous  prepa- 


286  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

rations  going  on  for  her  destruction  ?  Since  the  Japanese  vic- 
tories began, — and  there  has  been  a  series,  as  you  doubtless 
know — the  change  in  Peking  has  been  most  marked.  The 
Chinese  breathe  more  easily,  as  do  we  all. 

Next  Sabbath  I  expect  to  baptize  ten  men  and  take  on  many 
probationers.  Our  country  work  is  growing  finely  and  the 
whole  field  committed  to  us,  which  is  over  a  hundred  miles 
south  and  north,  and  fifty  east  and  west,  is  in  a  healthy  condi- 
tion. I  had  a  station  class  of  ten  men,  all  literary  graduates, 
who  have  just  returned  to  their  homes.  They  were  not  all 
Christian  men,  but  men  who  wanted  to  study  Christian  doc- 
trine, and  some  of  them  dismissed  their  schools  in  order  to 
come. 

We  are  all  in  good  health  and  never  enjoyed  our  work  more. 
Crowds  come  to  make  New  Year's  calls. 

Best  regards  to  all, 

W.  S.  Ament. 


Each  night  is  followed  by  its  day, 

Each  storm  by  fairer  weather, 
While  all  the  works  of  nature  sing 

Their  songs  of  joy  together. 
Then  learn,  oh,  heart,  their  songs  of  hope. 

Cease,  soul,  thy  thankless  sorrow, 
For  though  the  clouds  be  dark  to-day 

The  sun  shall  shine  to-morrow. 

—  T.  Edgar  Jones. 

XXI 

GROWTH  OF  UNION  IN  MISSION  EFFORT 

Peking^  April,  1^04. 
To  Dr.  Smith  : 

Mrs.  Ament  and  I  have  just  returned  from  the  most  de- 
lightful trip  we  have  yet  taken  in  China.  Though  we  were 
gone  a  month  or  more  we  did  not  begin  to  touch  most  of  our 
stations.  We  first  stopped  at  Liang  Hsiang,  a  city  just  this 
side  of  Cho  Chou  and  a  place  we  shall  long  remember,  as  all  our 
Christians  were  killed  except  one  old  man.  Hence  this  place 
is  the  last  one  at  which  we  have  begun  rehabilitation.  We  shall 
have  enlarged  premises  here  and  a  contract  was  given  for 
buildings  which  will  accommodate  schools,  Bible  woman  and 
preacher.  Calling  on  the  official  he  said  that  if  we  should  es- 
tablish a  school  where  Western  knowledge  was  taught  he  would 
be  glad  to  send  his  son  to  the  school.  If  he  does  that,  it  would 
mean  the  support  of  the  gentry  and  the  popularity  of  the  school. 
Hence  we  are  looking  out  for  the  proper  man  for  this  impor- 
tant place. 

Only  a  few  miles  away  is  the  village  of  Pu  An  Tun  where  we 
have  had  work  for  years.  We  were  more  than  pleased  with  the 
fine  audiences  here,  and  the  presence  of  inquirers  from  many 
villages.  In  view  of  our  losses  in  this  village  from  Boxers  and 
other  thieves,  I  succeeded  in  securing  from  the  magistrate  im- 
munity from  the  taxes  for  support  of  soldiers  and  the  necessity 
of  supplying  carts  for  transportation.  As  the  villages  here  are 
near  the  great  road,  north  and  south,  these  calls  for  carts  had 
been  frequent.  They  were  duly  grateful  for  this  relief.  We 
were  pleased  while  here  to  have  a  call  from  a  village  in  Cho 
Chou  district  for  a  Christian  teacher.  For  fear  the  Catholics 
would  force  them  to  start  a  Catholic  school,  of  their  own  free 
will  they  took  the  entire  funds  in  hand  for  a  school  and  depos- 

287 


288  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

ited  it  with  the  preacher  in  Cho  Chou.  We  try  to  be  patient 
with  those  who  try  to  break  up  our  work,  and  to  show  the  peo- 
ple better  results  of  our  Christian  teaching. 

On  the  edge  of  the  Wen  An  plain  is  the  little  village  of  the 
Fan  family.  Dr.  Blodget  gave  it  his  loving  care  and  prayerful 
interest  and  if  he  could  look  down  from  his  heavenly  home  he 
certainly  would  be  pleased  to  see  the  fine  new  chapel  now  in 
their  possession.  On  Sunday  there  was  a  large  gathering  of 
over  a  hundred  people.  Near  by  is  the  government  school 
started  by  the  local  official.  The  school  is  about  equally  di- 
vided between  Christians  and  non-Christians.  The  teacher  is 
very  friendly  and  always  brings  his  boys  to  service  if  there  is  a 
man  to  preach.  We  do  not  need  to  locate  a  distinctly  church 
school  so  long  as  the  government  gives  our  boys  an  equal 
chance  with  the  others.  Thus  ended  our  journey  so  full  of 
blessing  to  ourselves,  and  we  can  trust  some  light  was  com- 
municated to  others. 

The  war  does  not  seem  to  have  any  deleterious  eff"ect  upon 
our  work.  Victory  for  the  Japanese  will  doubtless  mean  much 
for  the  development  of  work  in  China,  if  the  victory  is  properly 
used  and  not  made  an  excuse  for  absorbing  territory. 


The  annual  reports  of  the  mission,  1904,  sum  up  in 
brief  and  compact  form  the  progress  of  work.  During 
the  previous  year  progress  had  been  made  in  building. 
The  report  is  able  to  speak  of  a  new  street  chapel,  a  fine 
large  church  in  the  compound  for  Sunday  services,  a 
boys'  schoolroom  with  dormitory  to  care  for  fifty  pupils, 
near  the  street  front  of  the  compound.  At  the  North 
Church,  new  buildings,  taking  the  place  of  the  Emily 
Ament  Memorial  School,  were  prepared,  and  three  new 
chapels  were  opened  in  the  country  villages. 

The  venerable  Dr.  Henry  Blodget,  first  of  the  mission- 
aries to  enter  upon  work  in  the  north,  had  passed  away 
in  February,  1904,  forty  years  after  his  early  entrance  into 
Peking,  fifty  years  since  his  arrival  in  China.  Fitting 
services  were  held  in  Peking.  Impressions  and  mem- 
ories  of  this  strong,   faithful  pastor  and  friend  were 


I 


BOYS'    SCHOOL   AND    DORMITORY 
DR.   AMENT  AND  SCHOOLBOYS 


UNION  IN  MISSION  EFFORT  289 

brought  to  mind,  his  noble  character  and  impressive  in- 
fluence. To  those  of  mature  y^ars  who  remembered  Dr. 
Blodget  when  they  were  young  his  name  will  be  potent 
and  precious  and  the  work  he  did  with  such  fidelity  and 
love  will  abide. 

The  Korth  Church  under  the  direction  of  Pastor  Jen 
was  a  joy  to  the  station.  The  pastor  and  his  wife  were 
working  out  their  own  ideas  of  ways  of  reaching  their 
neiglibors  which  were  having  happy  results.  The  little 
day-school  for  girls  became  a  boarding-school,  and  the 
way  was  opening  for  an  independent  dispensary  with  an 
educated  native  doctor  in  charge.  The  Bridgman  School 
was  steadily  advancing  in  influence,  now  under  the 
charge  of  Miss  Miner,  Miss  Porter  being  on  furlough  in 
the  United  States.  Mrs.  Stelle  after  her  marriage  had 
continued  the  musical  instruction  and  in  the  second 
semester  took  up  again  kindergarten  and  normal  train- 
ing. Miss  Eussell,  the  devoted  pastoress  of  the  native 
Christians  of  every  sort,  having  wasted  more  of  her  heart 
than  could  be  endured,  had  gone  on  a  greatly  needed  fur- 
lough. 

The  station  is  able  to  report  an  expanding  of  their 
work  into  new  and  hitherto  unexpected  quarters.  There 
is  an  ever  widening  circle  of  acquaintances  among  official 
and  Manchu  families  of  rank.  The  touch  of  educational 
interests  becomes  a  key  to  the  unlocking  of  many  closed 
doors.  One  lady  of  princely  family  after  visiting  the 
Bridgman  School  remarked,  *^  We  ought  to  have  such  a 
school  for  our  daughters.  If  I  lived  near  at  hand  I  should 
send  my  daughters  every  day.'^ 

The  social  intercourse  between  the  missions  and  the  up- 
per classes  was  continued  most  happily.  Mrs.  Conger  en- 
tertained Manchu  ladies  at  luncheon,  April  16th.  Mission- 
ary ladies  ably  helped  to  entertain  these  princesses,  wives 
of  Manchu  officials,  and  members  of  their  families  who 


290  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

were  guests.  Mrs.  Conger  writes ,  ^ '  Without  the  assist- 
ance of  the  missionary  ladies  I  should  be  almost  helpless 
in  accomplishing  what  I  am  trying  to  do."  A  perma- 
nent outcome  of  this  social  expansion  was  the  develop- 
ment of  an  interest  in  the  education  of  woman,  which 
has  gained  increasing  impetus  in  the  capital  and  elsewhere 
in  the  empire.  It  was  the  joy  of  the  missionaries  to  make 
as  much  as  possible  of  the  opportunity  before  them.  Of 
this  Miss  Miner  writes  in  her  '^Appeal"  ;  ''All  the  ladies 
of  the  imperial  court,  with  the  exception  of  the  Empress 
Dowager  and  Empress,  visit  the  American  Legation. 
There  is  not  a  wife  of  a  high  official  in  Peking  who  does 
not  seem  glad  to  converse  with  missionary  ladies  in  Mrs. 
Conger's  drawing-room ;  many  of  them  visit  our  girls' 
schools  ;  a  duchess  sat  with  tears  rolling  down  her  face 
listening  to  the  essays  of  the  graduating  class,  thinking 
how  much  richer  and  fuller  were  the  lives  of  these  edu- 
cated girls,  poor  in  this  world's  goods,  than  her  own." 

The  previous  autumn  Mrs.  Ament  mentioned  the  pres- 
ence of  Eev.  G.  W.  Hinman,  acting  as  the  general  secre- 
tary of  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society  in  China.  Of  this 
movement  he  writes  :  ' '  The  Christian  Endeavor  Society 
in  the  churches  of  China  is  giving  the  Christians  some- 
thing to  do  and  training  them  to  do  it."  He  had  previ- 
ously said:  **Dr.  Ament  in  the  north  and  Miss  H 

in  the  south  are  'hustlers^  for  the  Christian  Endeavor 
Society,  'Mien  Li  Hui'  as  the  name  is  in  China."  Of 
this  society  Dr.  Ament  himself  writes  very  ardently  : 

There  is  no  theme  which  stirs  my  blood  more  than  that  of 
Christian  Endeavor  in  China,  especially  that  part  of  it  with  which 
I  am  acquainted.  My  judgment  is  that  the  Christian  Endeavor 
movement  and  its  principles  are  to  be  one  of  the  great  forces  in 
the  redemption  of  China.  It  is  adapted  to  the  Chinese  modes 
of  thought  and  when  well  understood  commands  their  respect. 
The  movement  enters  into  the  monotonous  life  of  the  people  of 
the  Orient  and  stirs  them  with  the  consciousness  that  Christi- 
anity is  something  which  expects  constant  activity  and  loyalty 


UNION  IN  MISSION  EFFORT  291 

to  principles.  This  idea  is  put  into  concrete  form  by  the  re- 
sponsibility laid  on  each  member  with  regard  to  the  meetings 
and  doing  one's  duty  in  the  committees. 

The  departments  in  Christian  Endeavor  which  most  influence 
our  people  are  the  prayer-meeting,  first  and  foremost ;  then 
the  opportunity  for  helpfulness  in  charitable  ways,  and  the  de- 
velopment of  sociability.  Our  prayer-meetings  have  been  re- 
created, and  are  a  wonder  to  many.  To  see  and  hear  the 
naturally  immobile  Chinese  become  prompt  and  brief  in  prayer- 
meeting  activities  is  a  privilege  which,  as  one  has  expressed  it, 
he  never  expected  to  hve  to  see. 

So  far  as  I  am  aware  I  had  the  privilege  of  being  the  organ- 
izer of  the  first  Christian  Endeavor  Society  in  North  China  in 
1888.  The  first  district  convention  was  held  at  Tientsin,  when 
Dr.  Clark  made  a  visit  to  Peking,  in  1900.  Nothing  gives  as- 
surance of  the  continued  life  of  a  small  community  as  the  exist- 
ence of  a  live  Christian  Endeavor  Society. 

As  an  interesting  commentary  on  the  foregoing,  it  will 
be  well  to  notice  here  that  the  following  summer  Dr. 
Ament  was  elected  a  trustee  of  the  World's  Christian 
Endeavor  Union.  The  union  itself  was  one  of  the  ele- 
ments in  the  rapidly  forming  sentiment  towards  a  more 
vital  cooperation  in  effort  among  Christian  workers 
throughout  the  world. 

The  United  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor  for  China 
issued  in  January,  1905,  a  letter  of  greeting  from  its 
general  secretary  which  contained  the  following  pleasing 
commentary  on  the  reference  to  the  Chinese  pastor  of 
whom  Dr.  Ament  has  written  :  ^ '  Recently  Dr.  W.  S.  Ament 
sent  to  Shanghai  eight  banners  and  five  pennants  to  be 
forwarded  to  Dr.  F.  E.  Clark  for  use  in  the  '  increase  cam- 
paign.' These  Peking  banners  were  designed  by  Pastor 
Jen  of  the  American  Board  Mission,  and  are  made  of 
blue  silk  and  velvet,  being  inscribed  with  the  motto 
*  Wei  Chu  chih  ming'— ^They  gave  theie  lives  fob 
Christ.'  " 

m  ^  ^  @t 


292  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Five  of  them  are  iu  the  form  of  the  three-cornered 
Manchu  banners  and  are  bordered  with  a  conventional- 
ized design  of  flames  to  commemorate  the  sufferings  of 
the  Peking  Christian  Endeavorers  in  1900. 

Federation  in  mutual  effort  had  already  assumed  con- 
siderable proportions  in  North  China.  It  became 
possible  for  the  American  Board,  the  American  Presby- 
terian and  the  London  Missions  to  unite  in  definite  plans 
for  all  their  educational  work.  These  plans  have  been 
carried  out  in  a  most  delightful  and  effective  manner.  A 
Union  College  of  Arts  was  thus  established  at  Tung-chow  ; 
a  Union  College  of  Theology  established  on  the  Presby- 
terian premises  in  Peking,  and  a  Union  Medical  College 
for  men,  provided  for  by  the  London  Mission  in  Peking. 
To  these  there  was  added  a  Union  College  for  Women,  the 
expansion  of  the  former  Bridgman  School.  The  Peking 
University  of  the  American  Methodist  Mission  with  its 
well-established  centres  could  scarce  unite  with  these. 
But  that  mission  found  its  way  to  union  through  the 
medical  departments,  being  represented  in  the  faculty  of 
the  Lockhart  Memorial  Medical  College,  and  providing 
premises  of  the  Union  Woman's  College  of  Medicine.  In 
each  of  these  Dr.  Ament  had  special  interest  and  a  voice 
in  determining  the  drift  towards  union. 

The  summer  of  this  year  (1904)  was  signalized  by  still 
more  definite  steps  towards  union,  culminating  in  the 
conference  at  Pei  Tai  Ho,  the  happy  seaside  resort  which 
was  bringing  so  many  into  mutual  relations  and  sympa- 
thies. Perhaps  few  enjoyed  the  growth  towards  unity  of 
sentiment  and  purpose  more  than  Dr.  Ament.  As  he 
says  in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Leete  of  September  9th  :  *'I  wish 
I  had  time  to  write  you  of  the  movements  most  hopeful 
and  encouraging  towards  union  or  federation  in  China. 
And  especially  in  North  China  where  we  have  practically 
buried  the  vexed  question,  What  term  to  use  for  ^  God,^ 


UNION  IN  MISSION  EFFORT  293 

This  certainly  shows  that  the  Spirit  of  Christ  is  abroad  in 
China."  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  Boxer  storm  had  made 
it  all  but  impossible  for  the  Protestant  Church  in  China 
to  use  as  its  own  the  Roman  Catholic  term  "  Tien  Chu.'^ 
The  great  influence  of  Dr.  Blodget  had  for  many  years 
guided  the  mission  in  the  use  of  this  term.  Individuals 
had  perhaps  changed  their  estimate.  The  words  Father 
and  Lord  had  become  the  manifest  substitutes  for  the 
former  term  in  the  regular  public  services.  And  a  phrase  : 
*'The  Lord  above"  was  slowly  becoming  well  acclimated. 
In  an  equal  measure  a  term  for  Spirit  was  being  more 
widely  used,  long  accepted  by  our  mission.  In  a  paper 
read  before  the  North  China  Tract  Society,  May  27th, 
Dr.  Goodrich  has  presented  this  term  with  great  force  as 
the  suitable  one  for  the  final  compromise,  leaving  the 
word  "Shen"  in  its  own  native  strength  as  the  true 
representative  in  Chinese  of  the  Greek  Theos.  The  Sea- 
side Conference  was  held  on  the  24th  of  August.  There 
were  five  sessions  in  all.  The  Committee  on  Union  ap- 
pointed in  Peking  earlier  in  the  year  presented  four 
topics.  As  regards  the  fourth,  the  resolution  was :  '^It 
is  the  opinion  of  this  conference  that  the  formation  of  a 
federation  of  Protestant  Churches  in  China  is  feasible 
and  greatly  to  be  desired."  The  carrying  out  of  this  last 
led  directly  to  the  work  on  that  subject  for  the  Centennial 
Conference  three  years  later,  in  which  Dr.  Ament  was  to 
take  such  an  active  part. 

Peking,  Sept.  g,  igo4. 
Dear  Dr.  Leete  : 

I  want  you  to  have  a  copy  of  our  last  printed  report  of 
the  mission  meeting  which  Mrs.  Sheffield  and  I  collaborated. 
Also  a  printed  report  of  our  little  Emily  Ament  Memorial 
School.  Now  I  am  sending  you  a  picture  of  the  ordaining 
council  at  Cho  Chou  and  of  the  new  pastor  and  his  deacons. 
Also  a  picture  of  our  new  church.  You  can  see  the  bricks 
have  not  been  cleared  away  in  front. 


294:  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Next  Sunday  we  have  our  first  meeting  in  the  new  church ; 
thirteen  people  are  to  be  baptized.  The  light  and  heating 
plants  are  not  yet  in  the  church  and  we  do  not  plan  to  dedicate 
till  later  in  the  season.  Another  chapel  is  to  be  dedicated  in 
the  neighboring  city  of  Liang  Hsiang  next  week.  This  will  be 
our  twentieth  chapel  now  in  operation. 

The  war  in  Manchuria  is  awakening  the  ambition  of  the  Chi- 
nese. The  success  of  the  Japanese  is  marvellous.  There  has 
been  nothing  like  it  in  the  history  of  the  world.  Their  accuracy 
in  firing,  absolute  obedience,  untiring  energy,  and  physical  con- 
dition all  go  to  show  that  a  new  force  has  come  in  world  history 
which  must  be  accounted  with.  Their  influence  is  growing  in 
China  every  day  and  they  practically  control  the  new  education. 
1  am  glad  to  say  some  of  the  new  teachers  are  Christian  men 
and  want  to  do  well  by  the  Chinese.  Our  station  has  now  two 
self-supporting  churches  and  two  able  pastors.  There  are  no 
better  men  in  China,  in  or  out  of  the  church. 

With  best  regards  to  Mrs.  Leete,  and  friends  in  the  parish. 

Peking^  Sept.  27,  igo4. 
My  dear  Miss  Schirmer  : 

While  our  life  out  here  is  rather  monotonous,  we  man- 
age to  keep  very  busy  and  never  really  keep  up  with  the  work. 
I  have  taken  several  trips  to  the  country  and  spent  a  month  at 
the  seashore  with  other  friends,  who  had  a  convention  or  so  on 
their  hands.  It  is  a  great  boon  that  we  have  such  a  place  as 
Pei  Tai  Ho,  to  which  we  can  go  in  the  summer  time  and  es- 
cape the  heat  and  smells  of  Peking,  also  get  a  little  change  and 
rest  from  the  Chinese  who  crowd  about  us  in  the  city.  A  few 
plunges  in  the  sea  water  seem  to  make  us  over  again  and  I  be- 
gin to  improve  from  the  first  bath.  I  am  in  good  health,  but 
the  anxieties  of  the  last  several  years  have  told  somewhat  on 
my  poor  head  which  seems  to  lose  its  grip  when  the  summer 
heat  comes  on  after  a  winter  of  full  work. 

But  with  respect  to  our  station  we  are  getting  beyond  the 
period  of  experiments  and  reaching  the  place  of  an  assured 
standing  ground.  Our  buildings  are  practically  all  restored 
and  are  much  better  than  the  old  ones.  We  have  finished  our 
beautiful  new  church  which  will  be  dedicated  October  8th. 
We  had  generous  help  from  friends  in  building  and  the  money 
did  not  all  come  from  indemnity  money  by  a  good  deal.  Mr. 
Herbert  Squires,  now  United  States  minister  to  Cuba,  sent  us 


UNION  IN  MISSION  EFFORT  295 

the  goodly  sum  of  ^800,  and  Sir  Robert  Hart  has  been  a  good 
and  helpful  friend.  Miss  Porter  and  her  brother  of  Chicago 
have  done  beautifully  by  us,  and  we  have  a  fine  church  which 
would  cost,  in  any  city  of  the  United  States,  not  less  than  thirty 
thousand  dollars.  It  will  seat  about  one  thousand  people  and 
is  well  adapted  for  all  purposes. 

Mary  sends  you  a  copy  of  her  little  memorial  school  which 
has  a  warm  place  in  our  affections.  Churches  are  springing 
up  all  over  the  regions  where  I  have  travelled  for  twenty-five 
years,  and  they  look  to  me  as  something  like  a  father  to  them. 
These  relations  are  very  precious  to  me.  I  shall  be  fifty-three 
years  old  the  14th  day  of  September,  and  am  one  of  the  so- 
called  "senior  missionaries"  in  Peking.  I  welcome  every 
gray  hair,  though  I  have  not  many,  as  it  lends  influence  and 
proves  how  long  I  have  worked  for  them. 

The  photograph  shows  the  fine  proportions  of  the  new 
church  which  was  dedicated  with  due  ceremony  on  the 
8th  of  October.  It  was  natural  for  each  to  think,  as 
Mrs.  Stelle  writes,  "Our  beautiful  church  is  at  last  fin- 
ished and  is  a  joy  to  all  who  see  it."  The  church  was 
built  without  drawing  upon  the  funds  of  the  Board  through 
the  indemnities  of  the  two  churches  destroyed  and  through 
the  kind  gifts  of  friends.  The  gift  of  Mr.  Squires  was  in 
memory  of  his  son  Fargo  Squires,  who  had  shown  himself 
a  brave  American  lad  during  the  days  both  before  and 
during  the  siege.  His  accidental  death  a  few  years  later 
touched  many  a  sympathetic  chord.  In  the  tower  of  the 
church  an  American  bell  calls  to  all  services.  It  is  in- 
scribed to  the  memory  of  Dr.  Jeremiah  Porter  with  the 
words  : 

**  Peace  and  Good- will,  Good- will  and  Peace, 
Peace  and  Good- will  to  all  Mankind." 

Peking^  Dec.  4,  igo4. 
Dear  Dr.  Leete  : 

It  is  about  a  week  now  since  I  returned  from  a  long  trip 
to  the  country,  and  it  is  high  time  I  began  a  letter  to  you.  I 
returned  home  to  find  the  new  church  in  good  order  and  services 


296  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

held  regularly  with  our  audiences  doubled  over  those  in  the  old 
chapel.  The  acetylene  gas  plant  is  installed  and  gives  us  a 
world  of  trouble.  It  has  gone  out  and  left  us  in  the  dark 
several  times,  which  fact  gives  rise  to  many  rumors  among  the 
Chinese.  Our  furnace  is  set  up  but  it  will  be  some  time  before 
we  get  the  proper  use  of  it,  as  a  Chinaman  will  break  a  machine 
if  there  is  a  way  for  him  to  do  so. 

I  cannot  express  to  you  my  thanks  for  the  splendid  gift  of  books 
which  Mr.  Ewing  brought  from  you  and  your  people  for  me. 
They  are  all  adapted  to  my  present  need  and  are  most  accept- 
able. My  library  is  very  limited  as  yet.  I  hope  you  received 
the  report  of  the  mission  and  of  our  little  memorial  school  which 
has  been  sent  to  you.  The  memorial  school  is  connected  with 
the  North  Church  and  I  have  very  little  to  do  with  it.  But  it 
prospers  under  the  fostering  care  of  the  native  pastor  and  his 
very  excellent  wife.  The  pastor  is  just  opening  a  dispensary 
which  is  to  be  operated  by  a  native  practitioner  who  has  had 
some  foreign  training,  and  the  funds  for  which  the  pastor  ob- 
tained by  private  subscription.  This  pastor  is  quite  a  genius 
in  his  way.  He  is  an  artist  of  rare  merit.  (His  family  were 
all  artists  and  artisans,  painting  pictures  for  the  Chinese  feast 
days  for  their  trade.)  Dr.  F.  E.  Clark  said  that  the  pastor's 
Christian  Endeavor  banner  used  at  the  Denver  convention  was 
the  most  striking  and  interesting  one  there,  and  he  wanted  one 
like  it.  You  may  have  seen  the  brief  account  in  the  Missio7iary 
Herald  of  the  ordination  of  our  second  pastor,  in  the  city  of 
Cho  Chou.  We  have  a  third  pastor  in  contemplation  and  only 
wait  for  his  modesty  to  mitigate  in  order  to  induct  him  into  the 
office  for  which  he  is  well  fitted.  Now  as  to  my  trip.  In  gen- 
eral I  may  say  that  forty-three  persons  were  baptized  and  seven 
new  schools  started.  I  rode  on  my  wheel  from  village  to  vil- 
lage and  accomplished  several  hundred  miles.  I  visited  eight 
out-stations  that  are  organized  and  have  a  more  or  less  inde- 
pendent existence. 

Peking,  Dec.  24,  1^04. 

My  DEAR  AND  ONLY  MOTHER  : 

This  is  the  day  before  Christmas,  and  it  has  been  a  rush 
from  morning  till  this  hour,  6  p.  m.  We  had  service  at  eleven 
this  morning  with  a  Christmas  tree — you  know  it  is  Saturday 
with  us — and  gave  various  gifts  to  two  hundred  children.  The 
matter  was  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  Chinese  and  I  only 


UNION  IN  MISSION  EFFORT  297 

offered  prayer  on  invitation.  There  were  fully  800  people  in 
our  new  church  and  we  think  it  has  been  pretty  well  inducted 
into  office.  After  meeting  we  had  a  tea-meeting  in  the  front 
chapel  for  the  men,  while  the  women  went  to  the  Bridgman 
School.  After  swilling  great  quantities  of  tea  and  eating  many 
cakes  we  had  sports  for  the  boys  in  our  ample  spaces  in  front 
of  our  houses.  The  boys  contented  themselves  with  potato  and 
egg  races,  running  round  the  circle  and  jumping  the  hurdles. 
Mrs.  Young,  our  new  doctor's  wife,  distributed  the  presents 
and  many  boys  were  made  happy.  Just  now,  6  p.  M.,  Mrs. 
Young  has  a  little  Christmas  tree  for  the  children  of  the  serv- 
ants. It  will  take  twenty-six  presents  just  to  satisfy  our  own 
family  if  we  take  in  the  gatekeeper  and  night  watchman. 

I  hope  you  are  still  praying  for  China  and  our  work  here. 
We  need  all  the  help  we  can  get  in  that  way.  This  is  a  dry 
and  thirsty  land  and  we  are  few  and  weak.  Well,  a  happy 
Christmas  to  you  and  a  bright,  fresh  New  Year,  1905. 

Peking,  March  12,  1905. 
My  dear  Will  : 

This  is  to  be  a  mutual  letter,  father  working  the  type- 
writer and  both  father  and  mother  thinking  what  to  say.  So  if 
it  is  somewhat  mixed  you  may  know  that  both  father  and  mother 
are  working  in  unison.  Yesterday  we  went  with  Mr.  Goodier 
to  the  mission  of  the  Russian  church  in  the  northeast  edge  of 
the  city.  Mr.  Goodier  is  an  Englishman,  born  in  St.  Peters- 
burg and  speaks  French  and  Russian  fluently.  Dr.  Young  and 
Miss  Reynolds  were  of  the  party.  We  took  jinrickshas  and  in 
half  an  hour  reached  the  place.  The  gateway  is  in  a  tower 
which  contains  a  chime  of  bells  and  from  which  we  get  a  fine 
view  of  the  city.  The  whole  structure  is  a  fac  simile  of  one  in 
Moscow.  Opposite  this  is  the  bishop's  chapel  and  residence. 
This  building  originally  belonged  to  the  ninth  prince  (Cheng), 
an  uncle  of  the  present  Emperor.  The  whole  palace  was  given 
over  to  the  Russians  after  the  Boxer  troubles.  Besides  this 
chapel  there  are  two  others,  being  memorials  to  the  martyrs, 
and  it  is  built  over  the  place  where  they  are  buried.  About 
forty  people  were  thrown  into  the  well  and  drowned.  We  at- 
tended service  in  the  bishop's  chapel.  It  was  a  curious  com- 
bination of  green  and  gold,  the  dragons  in  gold,  and  the  walls 
were  covered  with  pictures  of  saints. 

There  were  about  fifty  people  present,  including  eleven  girls 


298  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

and  fifteen  boys.  There  were  two  Chinese  priests  who  had 
charge  of  the  service.  They  sang  Gregorian  chants  and  their 
voices  harmonized  very  well.  Pleasant  as  these  chants  were, 
we  think  it  would  be  a  great  deprivation  to  have  no  other  sing- 
ing. They  are  monotonous.  The  service  was  partly  Russian 
and  partly  Chinese,  so  we  got  very  little  that  we  could  under- 
stand. We  visited  the  rooms  of  the  monks  and  saw  their  re- 
fectory. They  live  very  comfortably,  but  their  lives  must  be 
dreary.  We  saw  in  the  compound  a  little  boy  from  Dalny  who 
is  in  care  of  the  monks.  He  wore  a  peculiar  garb  and  had  a 
gown  that  came  down  to  his  heels.  He  had  a  cap  which  came 
over  his  ears.  But  he  was  a  true  boy,  and  even  this  ridiculous 
costume  did  not  prevent  him  from  chasing  a  dog,  running  up  a 
tower.  He  showed  that  boys  are  the  same  the  world  over. 
The  old  monk  who  had  him  in  charge  seemed  very  fond  of 
him.     I  thought  of  Samuel  and  Eli. 

We  heard  the  chime  of  the  bells,  and  had  tea  in  a  monk's 
cell  and  drank  from  tumblers  as  the  Russians  usually  do.  Then 
we  went  over  to  the  service.  As  everybody  stands  in  the  Greek 
service,  we  also  stood.  Those  who  took  part  in  the  service 
varied  their  posture  by  bowing  but  we  had  to  stand  still.  We 
did  not  get  home  till  half- past  eight.  There  were  some  nuns 
also.  They  had  made  some  fine  jams  for  the  monks  and  they 
gave  us  some.  Your  mother  said  she  hoped  that  we  were  not 
robbing  them.  A  monk  replied,  ''No,  there  is  plenty  more." 
What  else  could  they  do  but  make  jam?  It  did  not  seem  as  if 
they  could  be  busy,  as  they  had  only  eleven  little  girls  in  their 
care,  and  there  were  five  of  them. 

Because  we  were  out  so  late  I  had  to  preach  this  morning 
with  less  preparation  than  usual.  Papa  preached  a  sermon  on 
worshipping  in  spirit  and  truth,  for  the  Father  seeketh  such  to 
worship  Him,  suggested  by  the  service  yesterday,  so  full  of 
form.  Only  eighteen  women  followed  your  mother  into  the 
house  to  talk  with  her  after  Sunday-school.  So  you  can  see  that 
when  Sunday  evening  arrives  we  have  a  right  to  call  ourselves 
weary.  We  are  getting  lively  news  from  Mukden  these  days. 
Good-night,  from  your  mother  and  father. 

Peking,  March  14,  190^. 
My  dear  Dr.  Smith  : 

Our  work  is  forging  ahead,  so  that  it  is  a  plethora  and 
not  emptiness  which  makes  it  difficult  to  write.     We  are  most 


UNION  IN  MISSION  EFFORT  299 

thankful  for  a  year  of  almost  solid  health  and  expanding  develop- 
ment. The  completion  of  the  new  church  gives  us  ample  space 
in  Peking,  and  our  fourteen  well-equipped  chapels  outside  of 
Peking,  besides  the  two  churches  in  the  city,  furnish  oppor- 
tunity for  all  the  strength  we  have  to  be  usefully  expended.  I 
will  begin  with  the  most  recent  things  and  tell  of  the  latest 
achievements  of  our  dear  native  brethren.  Cho  Chou  has  be- 
come practically  the  constructive  centre  of  our  station  and  two 
weeks  ago  we  held  there  our  session  of  the  Peking  conference, 
when  sixty  delegates  were  present  from  our  nine  organized 
churches.  We  represented  in  that  conference  a  region  120 
miles  in  extent  north  and  south,  including  the  city  of  Peking 
and  the  capitals  of  the  counties  with  about  three  thousand  vil- 
lages. As  this  is  the  first  general  conference  we  had  held  as  a 
station  since  the  troubles  of  1900,  they  came  together  with  a 
great  deal  of  interest  and  helpfulness.  The  consciousness  of 
church-personality  is  growing,  like  that  of  individuals,  and 
each  wanted  his  church  to  be  recognized  as  an  entity.  With 
that  spirit  there  is  growing  the  spirit  of  self-help  and  the  desire 
to  be  as  nearly  independent  as  possible. 

The  local  church  entertained  this  crowd  for  three  days  and 
did  it  cheerfully.  Our  premises  are  ample  and  we  gathered  as 
a  company  of  men  and  women  who  had  important  work  to  do, 
and  meant  to  perform  it.  Pastor  Jen  Chao  Hai  was  made 
chairman  and  myself  vice-chairman.  Our  general  topics  for 
discussion  for  the  first  day  were  how  to  secure  self-support, 
and  how  to  make  relations  between  foreign  and  native  work- 
ers more  generally  useful.  Many  things  were  said  which  it  did 
us  good  to  hear  and  we  realized  as  never  before  how  near  to 
the  native  Christian  is  the  success  of  the  church. 

Then  there  came  the  unanimous  conclusion  to  organize  a 
Native  Home  Missionary  Society  and  undertake  as  far  as 
possible  self-supporting  work.  The  organization  was  effected 
by  the  election  of  a  president,  secretary,  treasurer,  two  auditors 
and  a  representative  from  each  church  of  the  nine  to  make  an 
executive  committee.  They  wanted  a  pastor  of  their  own  and 
elected  then  and  there  Helper  Wang,  of  Lu  Kou  Ch'iao  church, 
to  be  their  pastor  at  large,  to  have  a  salary  of  fifteen  dollars  a 
month,  more  than  he  ever  had  before.  He  was  appointed  to 
dwell  in,  and  was  willing  to  go  to  our  most  distant  out-station, 
also  our  newest,  Su  Chia  Chiao,  and  will  have  charge  of  that 
large  district.     The   pastor  will  be  ordained  in  our  Peking 


300  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

church  on  the  30th,  and  it  will  be  the  biggest  occasion  we  have 
ever  known  in  Peking.  His  salary  has  been  already  more  than 
provided  for  the  first  year,  but  we  hof)e  that  at  the  Home  Mis- 
sionary rally  which  we  shall  hold  on  the  occasion  of  the  ordina- 
tion such  a  goodly  sum  shall  be  gathered  in,  that  other 
work  can  be  undertaken  by  the  brethren.  This  is  the  first 
time  in  our  history  that  our  native  brethren  have  taken  hold  of 
self-support  in  a  way  that  indicated  a  real  self-sacrificing 
interest. 

In  Peking,  the  first  of  the  Chinese  year  we  held  a  series  of 
meetings  in  which  we  were  assisted  by  Rev.  R.  R.  Gailey,  of 
the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  Tientsin.  Mr.  Gailey  is  large  of  body  and 
heart  and  took  hold  of  the  people,  and  the  meetings  proved  to 
be  of  peculiar  value.  The  presence  of  the  Spirit  was  graciously 
felt  and  was  seen  in  tearful  confessions  and  repentance.  The 
meetings  were  continued  after  Mr.  Gailey's  departure  and  now 
we  follow  with  evening  meetings  in  the  outer  chapel  which  are 
well  attended.  A  daily  class  is  held  which  is  studying  Andrew 
Murray's  ''Spirit  of  Christ,"  a  book  which  breathes  the  very 
aroma  of  the  inner  life  of  Christ.  To  secure  the  presence  of 
the  Spirit  some  time  and  work  are  necessary  and  one's  ener- 
gies must  be  bent  in  that  direction.  Nothing  has  paid  us  better 
than  our  quiet  times  each  morning  with  about  ten  of  our  native 
brethren  who  come  gladly  at  that  time,  when  most  families  are 
eating  their  breakfasts. 

There  is  no  special  rush  towards  Christianity  in  the  Peking 
field.  So  far  as  we  have  had  experience  there  is  no  surety  of 
success  in  evangelistic  work,  except  as  some  one  has  put  in 
time  and  energy  in  preaching  and  teaching.  There  is  no  path 
to  success  except  the  rugged  one.  People  cannot  come  in 
masses  except  as  they  have  had  some  instruction  individually, 
hence  there  can  be  large  ingathering  only  as  there  is  a  large 
force  of  workers.  If  our  fund  for  general  work  could  be  in- 
creased we  might  multiply  our  force  of  helpers,  while  leaving 
the  churches  to  care  for  their  local  work. 

As  to  the  war,  the  Japanese  seem  to  be  showing  admirable 
judgment  and  caution.  Japan  realizes  her  responsibility  as  the 
leader  in  the  Orient  and  wants  to  do  the  best  for  China  and  all 
Asia.  The  Chinese  appreciate  the  fact  of  Japanese  protection 
and  welcome  their  presence  and  help,  as  is  seen  in  the  predomi- 
nating influence  of  the  Japanese  in  all  educational  institutions. 
Japanese  stores  abound  in  comparison  with  those  of  any  other 


~    o 

z     O 


—  ^ 

-  < 

^    < 


UNION  IN  MISSION  EFFORT  301 

nationality  and  Japanese  wares  are  found  in  their  shops.  Rus- 
sia is  certainly  beaten  in  this  war  and  before  this  letter  reaches 
you,  I  venture  to  predict  that  negotiations  for  peace  will  be  in 
progress.  We  are  all  well  here.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Young  take 
hold  of  the  language  with  energy  and  seem  destined  to  be  most 
valuable  workers.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  he  can  be  our  repre- 
sentative in  the  medical  college. 

Yours  cordially, 

W.  S.  Ament. 

Peking,  March  i6,  igo^. 
My  dear  Mother  : 

I  am  sending  you  some  pictures.  Two  are  rather  dim 
but  you  will  see  that  the  towers  of  the  Ch'ien  Men  are  not  yet 
finished  although  the  money  was  long  ago  granted.  The  con- 
tractors v/anted  to  make  a  little  more  out  of  the  dear  old 
country,  so  they  delayed,  but  I  hear  it  is  given  to  a  new  set 
and  is  to  be  finished  soon.  I  wish  you  could  see  my  two  rose- 
bushes in  bloom  in  May.  One  on  each  side  of  the  steps.  The 
few  green  things  I  have  I  value  much.  We  were  going  to  make 
gardens  this  spring,  but  now  more  building  stops  us.  The 
ladies  are  building  more  recitation -rooms  and  rooms  for 
woman's  work. 

A  Manchu  noble  brought  his  boy  here  to-day  to  put  him  in 
the  school,  a  lad  of  fourteen.  Over  sixty  are  present.  I  have 
classes,  ten  in  English,  ten  in  geography  and  fifteen  in  Old 
Testament.  I  also  squeeze  in  a  little  time  for  organ  lessons 
as  a  number  of  boys  want  to  learn  to  play.  They  are  quick  to 
learn. 

William  is  well  and  having  interesting  work  every  morning 
teaching  or  reading  Murray's  "Spirit  of  Christ  "  with  a  class 
of  men.  He  has  charge  of  the  depositary  of  the  Tract  Society, 
with  hundreds  of  accounts  to  make  out  to  the  treasurer.  He 
runs  I  know  not  how  many  colporteurs  besides  the  mission 
affairs,  and  preaches  every  day  at  the  street  chapel. 

Good-night.     Love  to  all. 

Mary. 


As  the  bird  trims  her  to  the  gale, 

I  trim  myself  to  the  storm  of  time, 
I  man  the  rudder,  reef  the  sail, 

Obey  the  voice  at  eve  obeyed  at  prime : 
"  Lowly,  faithful,  banish  fear, 

Right  onward  drive  unharmed; 
The  port,  well  worth  the  cruise,  is  near, 

And  every  wave  is  charmed." 

— Emerson. 

XXII 

HERALDS  OF  THE  NEW  CHINA 

IN  the  spring  time  of  1905,  the  Eusso-Japanese  War 
was  practically  at  an  end,  although  it  held  on  its  way 
until  the  treaty  of  peace  was  signed  at  Portsmouth. 
While  it  is  true  that  the  Boxer  year  was  the  pivot  upon 
which  great  changes  turned,  it  is  still  more  true  that  the 
Japanese  victories  forced  the  situation  rapidly  onward. 
Henceforth  a  new  China  was  heralded.  The  of&cials 
were  convinced.  There  must  be  an  absolute  break  with 
the  past,  or  China  would  be  undone.  The  growing  church 
in  China  was  eager  to  meet  all  the  teeming  opportunities, 
and  every  mission  could  plan  for  a  wider  scope  in  its 
efforts.  The  development  of  original  forces  in  the  native 
church  was  the  first  object  of  desire.  A  new  national 
spirit  was  rising  rapidly  and  the  young  men  in  the 
churches  were  absorbing  the  sentiment,  *' China  for  the 
Chinese.^' 

One  of  the  first  agencies  to  make  use  of  this  spirit  was 
the  Christian  Endeavor  Society,  which  held  a  national 
convention  at  Mng  Po,  May  12th-15th.  The  Peking 
societies,  the  American  Board,  London  Mission  and  the 
Epworth  League  united  in  sending  a  costly  banner  to 
that  convention.  The  convention  was  a  great  success. 
It  was  said  that  never  before  in  the  history  of  Christian 
missions  in  China  had  such  a  large  and  representative 
body  of  Chinese  Christians  assembled  for  prayer,  worship 

302 


HERALDS  OF  THE  NEW  CHINA        303 

and  deliberation  on  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom. 
The  visit  of  high  Chinese  officials  called  forth  great 
enthusiasm.  They  paid  earnest  attention  to  an  address 
on  the  ^'Duty  of  the  Christian  to  his  Emperor  and  his 
Country.''  Three  of  these  officials  addressed  the  audi- 
ence in  words  of  cordial  and  unstinted  approval  of  the 
teachings  of  Christianity  as  just  explained. 

One  of  the  best  results  of  this  fine  gathering  was  the 
coming  to  consciousness  in  many  marked  ways  of  the 
native  Christians,  in  the  assurance  that  they  were  able 
to  take  the  lead  in  their  own  lines  of  work.  To  take  the 
initiative,  especially  in  the  presence  of  the  foreign  teacher 
and  pastor,  had  not  been  an  easy  task  for  the  Chinese. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  North  China  Mission  was 
held  at  Pei  Tai  Ho,  in  the  summer  of  1905.  This  meet- 
ing was,  in  succession  to  other  meetings,  of  great  worth, 
alike  to  the  missionaries  who  assembled  there  and  to  the 
native  Christians.  On  the  invitation  of  Mr.  Tewksbury, 
*'  a  convocation  of  Christian  workers  "  had  come  together 
with  a  view  to  uplift  for  body,  mind  and  spirit.  The  at- 
tendance this  year  was  115,  gathered  from  the  native 
bodies  of  workers.  The  general  theme  was  the  ' '  Evan- 
gelization of  China."  Dr.  Ament  was  glad  to  be  pres- 
ent at  these  meetings  and  to  feel  the  tender  and  heart- 
searching  influences  which  were  binding  the  native  and 
foreign  workers  together. 

The  message  of  this  convention  was  sent  out  to  the 
native  churches  by  four  of  the  Chinese  pastors,  who  were 
to  carry  the  good  news  and  to  arouse  others  to  like  serv- 
ice. The  Chinese  delegates  subscribed  for  the  expenses 
of  the  tour.  One  of  those  chosen  was  the  Pastor  Jen, 
who  did  most  effective  service. 

The  Conference  on  Federation  held  the  previous  year 
was  continued  through  its  Peking  committee,  of  which 
Dr.   Ament  was  a  member.     A  second  conference  was 


304  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

held  in  Peking,  September  28,  1905.  There  were  present 
delegates  from  twenty-two  missions  in  China,  as  well  as 
four  bishops  of  the  American  and  Anglican  churches. 
The  questions  presented  were  the  same  voted  upon  the 
previous  year.  Dr.  Ament  opened  the  discussion.  A 
session  was  devoted  to  the  ''Term  Question,"  resulting 
in  a  practical  agreement  upon  the  suitable  terms.  More 
interesting,  as  related  to  the  coming  Centennial  Confer- 
ence, was  the  discussion  of  the  federation  of  the  churches. 
The  opinion  prevailed  that  a  resolution  in  a  definite  form 
should  be  presented.  This  resolution  was  summed  up  in 
the  final  paragraph:  "This  conference  appeals  to  the 
executive  committee  of  the  general  Centenary  Conference 
of  1907  to  arrange  for  the  adequate  presentation  of  the 
subject  of  federation  to  that  conference." 

It  is  easy  to  fix  an  epochal  date  in  September,  1905,  as 
the  final  turning  point  of  the  great  changes  in  China. 
The  treaty  of  Portsmouth  had  hastened  the  pace.  On 
the  28th  of  this  month,  the  imperial  government  aban- 
doned the  last  remnant  of  cleaving  to  the  ancient  scholar- 
ship, and  proclaimed  Occidental  scholarship  as  the  essen- 
tial need  of  China.  Under  the  quickened  enthusiasms  of 
the  Viceroy  of  Chihli,  a  most  elaborate  system  had  been 
prepared  and  every  district  in  the  province  was  entering 
upon  a  new  career. 

The  capital  city  began  to  be  wholly  renovated  by  the 
new  forces  at  work.  The  two  cities  of  Peking  and  Tai- 
Yuan  were  the  only  ones  graced  by  the  great  Kublai 
with  broad  ways  running  from  north  to  south  and  with 
connecting  cross  streets  of  equal  breadth.  These  were 
now  taking  on  an  Occidental  appearance.  All  the  ter- 
rible rags  of  the  former  days,  hucksters'  tents,  and 
bazaars  were  carried  off,  the  broad  space  filled  properly 
to  a  level,  the  streets  finely  macadamized,  with  sufficient 
sidewalk,  and  latterly  lighted  with  electric  lamps,  making 


HERALDS  OF  THE  NEW  CHINA        305 

a  brilliant  sight,  in  lieu  of  the  former  utter  filth  and 
degradation.  Thousands  of  jinrickshas  trundled  hither 
and  thither  and  many  equipages  of  the  princely  and  official 
class  took  the  place  of  the  green  mandarin  chair.  The 
peoi^le  delighted  in  the  prospective  changes  and  were 
evidently  waiting  to  be  led  into  new  and  green  pastures. 

In  order  to  meet  the  strong  popular  demand  for  infor- 
mation, Pastor  Jen  of  the  North  Chapel  began  weekly 
evening  meetings  for  the  free  discussion  of  current  themes. 
The  interest  in  such  meetings  grew  rapidly,  and  in  the 
autumn  a  similar  university  extension  was  established  by 
Dr.  Ament  in  the  South  Church,  meeting  every  Thurs- 
day evening.  At  these  meetings  no  mention  was  made 
of  gospel  truths.  This  new  movement  became  very  popu- 
lar, newcomers  from  many  quarters  joining  in.  Students 
from  the  newly  established  government  schools,  members 
of  the  official  classes  from  the  palaces,  progressive  men 
and  women,  mingling  with  the  general  congregation. 
The  new  vogue  of  newspapers  shared  in  these  courses  as 
well.  Representatives  from  them  were  present  and  easily 
induced  to  take  a  part.  A  daily  paper  in  Mandarin  was 
among  these,  and  its  editor  gave  an  excellent  lecture, 
speaking  frankly  of  the  relation  of  the  Church  to  the  new 
aims  in  China.  Lectures  on  electricity  were  learnedly 
given  by  expert  Chinese  students.  The  alumni  of  the  Tung- 
chow  College,  now  living  in  Peking  as  teachers,  medical 
students  and  practicing  physicians,  gave  fine  lectures, 
packed  with  the  new  learning.  Dr.  Ament  always  took 
advantage  of  the  close  of  the  lectures  by  skillful  questions 
to  draw  out  discussion  of  the  several  topics.  The  topics 
eventually  covered  such  themes  as  astronomy,  hygiene, 
geography,  China's  trade  relations,  banking,  opium,  silk, 
and  cotton. 

The  ladies  of  the  station  made  an  effort  to  present  the 
same  themes  to  companies  of  women.     Princesses  an(i 


306  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

elegant  ladies  did  not  hesitate  to  come  to  them  and  ere 
long  to  take  some  part.  The  foreign  homes  were  thrown 
open  to  these  ladies  who  soon  showed  no  scorn  in  meet- 
ing their  humbler  Chinese  sisters  on  an  equality.  It 
reads  like  a  romance  to  recall  the  stories,  from  week  to 
week,  of  those  who  assembled  to  listen.  One  of  these 
ladies,  the  sister  of  Prince  Su,  married  to  a  Mongol 
prince,  had  established  a  school  for  Mongol  girls  and 
brought  them  with  her  to  the  meetings.  The  editor  of 
the  only  Woman's  Daily  in  Peking  came  often  and  de- 
livered a  few  lectures.  These  lectures  were  extended  to 
the  country  stations,  lending  a  fresh  interest  to  many 
isolated  lives. 

It  is  interesting  to  notice  in  passing  that  in  consequence 
of  these  lectures,  there  had  been  a  great  advance  in  the 
sale  of  literature  and  of  Bibles.  During  the  ensuing 
months,  the  woman's  report  records:  ''Many  windows 
have  been  opened  for  us  from  which  we  get  new  glimpses 
of  Chinese  life  with  its  peculiar  burdens  and  pathetic 
bravery." 

All  of  these  matters  of  increasing  interest  served  the 
more  to  make  the  Sunday  services  helpful  and  elevating 
to  the  many  new  listeners.  Dr.  Ament  preached  on  Sun- 
day in  the  new  church  and  the  congregations  were  steadily 
gaining  in  numbers. 

The  religious  optimism  of  Dr.  Ament  found  frequent  il- 
lustration in  his  dealing  with  men.  He  had  an  un- 
limited faith  in  the  capacity  of  the  most  degraded  to  be 
built  up  into  a  better  life.  This  is  strikingly  presented 
in  one  of  his  sermons  in  English,  from  the  text  John  xiv. 
30.  He  is  speaking  of  the  attitude  of  Christ  towards  the 
sinful  with  whom  He  associated.  ''Christ  saw  the  pos- 
sibilities in  every  human  life.  However  low  and  de- 
graded, He  saw  in  the  person  a  future  of  endless  growth 
and  the  hope  of  a  perfect  character."     "Man  was  worth 


HERALDS  OF  THE  NEW  CHINA        307 

saving  and  God  was  magnified  in  his  salvation."  '^He 
wanted  to  restore  those  godlike  attributes  in  man,  with 
which  he  was  originally  endowed,  and  he  wanted  to  do 
this  through  the  effect  of  truth  and  love,  as  manifested  in 
His  own  life." 

Mr.  Ament's  interest  and  hope  in  men  made  it  possible 
for  him  to  persuade  men  of  very  different  temperaments 
to  work  together  in  harmony.  Accepting  the  Chinese 
theory  of  *' peace-talking"  as  a  practical  force,  he  often 
secured  the  promise  of  enemies  and  opponents  to  act 
justly,  and  to  meet  those  opposed  to  them  on  common 
ground,  knowing  that  a  word  given  under  such  condi- 
tions would  never  be  violated.  The  native  custom  would 
hold  them.     With  him  it  was  an  art  of  high  diplomacy. 

Peking^  Sept,  ig,  1905, 
Dear  Dr.  Leete  : 

I  was  in  the  city  during  June  and  July  and  then  went  to 
Pel  Tai  Ho,  our  little  seaside  resort  on  the  Gulf  of  Pei  Chihli. 
I  responded  wonderfully  to  the  fresh  air  and  felt  like  a  young 
colt  and  took  my  turn  with  the  kid  missionaries  at  baseball. 

Now  is  the  time  when  men  of  verve  and  muscle  are  needed 
in  China.  The  current  is  against  us.  The  official  tone  is  a 
patronizing  one  and  seems  to  say  we  will  suck  your  civilization 
dry  and  we  do  not  want  your  religion.  In  fact  that  is  what 
Tuan  Fang  said  to  me  in  conversation  the  other  day.  He  is  a 
neighbor  of  mine  and  also  one  of  those  appointed  by  the 
Empress  Dowager  to  visit  foreign  countries  and  make  a  report 
on  their  civilizations.  Fortunately  he  is  planning  to  visit  the 
universities  in  America  and  you  may  see  him  at  New  Haven. 
His  interpreter,  Mr,  Wan,  is  a  very  pleasant  man  and  I  hope 
you  will  seek  an  interview  if  they  visit  your  city.  I  begged  the 
governor  to  visit  the  churches  as  he  would  see  there  the  founda- 
tion of  our  growth  as  a  nation  and  not  find  it  in  the  schools 
alone.  To-day  after  a  long  conversation  I  learn  that  he  was 
pleased  with  my  frankness  and  has  instructed  his  brother  who 
is  a  neighbor  to  be  more  friendly  than  he  has  been  in  the  past. 

Our  three  native  pastors  are  working  well  and  seem  coura- 
geous to  meet  difficulties.     One  of  them  quite  puts  me  to  shame 


308  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

by  his  cheerfulness  and  resources.  He  gets  fine  crowds  at 
his  course  of  lectures,  given  on  all  sorts  of  subjects  and  de- 
livered by  any  one  whom  he  can  get  without  reference  to  relig- 
ious opinions. 

Peking^  Jan.  5,  igo6. 
To  HIS  Mother  : 

I  trust  the  New  Year  finds  you  hale  and  ready  for  an- 
other year  of  strenuous  living.  The  year  begins  well  for  us. 
The  last  day  of  the  old  year  I  was  in  Shun  Yi  City  and 
baptized  six  people.  I  returned  New  Year's  morning  and 
found  myself  with  a  genuine  cold,  but  had  the  strength  to  go 
to  Tung-chow  and  lecture  to  the  students  last  evening  for  an 
hour  and  a  half  on  Russian  history.  There  are  many  things 
common  between  China  and  Russia  which  makes  the  latter  his- 
tory interesting.  I  brought  Miss  Browne  with  me,  whose  father 
once  preached  in  your  church  and  you  liked  him  very  much. 
She  is  a  fine  young  woman.  I  saw  Mr.  Wilder  at  Tung- chow 
and  he  told  me  of  his  visits  with  you.  One  of  the  first  things 
he  said  was  that  you  wanted  me  to  come  home.  I  know  you 
want  me  to  come.  Your  picture  hangs  over  my  desk  and  you 
have  many  friends  who  would  be  delighted  to  see  you. 

Our  piano-player  furnishes  much  diversion.  It  is  a  great 
help  in  all  our  work.  It  is  in  the  church,  and  I  play  pieces  for 
our  audiences  of  five  hundred  people.  You  hardly  thought  I 
should  reach  an  altitude  like  that,  did  you  ?  I  can  grind  an 
organ  now,  or  play  a  piano.  Week  of  prayer  begins  next  Sun- 
day. I  trust  we  shall  have  a  good  time  and  great  blessings  will 
follow. 

Good-bye.  Much  love  for  the  New  Year  and  many  prayers 
for  the  good  health  and  enjoyment  of  my  dear  mother. 

Peking,  Jan.  6,  igo6. 
Dear  Dr.  Leete  : 

The  New  Year  has  opened  and  I  trust  it  has  already 
brought  to  you  and  your  family  many  new  blessings.  Since 
the  bomb  throwing  our  city  has  settled  down  to  a  certain 
degree,  determined  to  solve  its  mighty  problems  which  concern 
a  third  of  the  human  race. 

The  commissioners  are  finally  afloat,  and  you  may  see  one  or 
more  in  New  Haven.  Their  courage  pretty  nearly  oozed  out 
after  the  bomb  outrage  and  they  saw  the  dangers  of  being  pro- 


HEEALDS  OF  THE  NEW  CHINA        309 

gressive.  There  is  no  city  in  the  world  where  ideas  are  so 
boihng  and  seething  as  in  Peking.  Schools  are  springing  up  on 
all  sides,  especially  schools  for  girls.  To-day  the  wife  of  a 
Mongol  prince  brought  fifteen  girls  from  her  school  to  see  our 
woman's  college.  These  Mongol  girls  had  ridden  about  five 
hundred  miles  in  mule  carts  to  reach  Peking.  It  is  the  only 
school  for  Mongols  in  the  world.  The  princess  is  in  earnest  to 
train  the  girls  and  she  and  her  husband  have  been  persecuted 
by  other  Mongols  as  followers  of  the  hated  foreigner.  They  do 
not  hestitate  to  say  that  the  Lama  form  of  Buddhism  must  go  as 
too  stupid  and  useless  for  human  beings  to  follow.  Because  of 
its  ideas  of  celibacy,  the  prince  says  this  religion  has  reduced 
his  tribe  to  one-half  of  what  it  was  two  hundred  years  ago. 
The  bands  of  superstition  which  have  held  this  simple  people  of 
the  desert  are  broken  and  can  never  be  tied  again. 

In  our  station  our  dangers  are  from  our  very  prosperity. 
Men  are  pouring  into  the  church  and  inquirers  are  heard  from 
in  distant  places.  But  we  have  no  men  to  send  to  instruct 
them  and  when  men  are  found  there  is  no  money.  If  boys  are 
trained  to  be  preachers  it  is  hard  lines  to  turn  them  adrift  after 
ten  years  of  study.  If  our  little  schools  bring  us  fine  bright 
fellows,  it  is  hard  not  to  have  money  to  send  them  to  college  at 
Tung-chow.  If  a  village  is  awakened  and  calls  for  a  preacher 
it  is  hard  to  send  them  away  unsatisfied. 

The  week  of  prayer  is  upon  us  and  yesterday  1,200  people 
gathered  at  the  first  union  services  in  our  church.  Mr.  Wilder 
of  Tung-chow  preached  the  sermon.  We  hold  daily  meetings 
in  the  daytime  with  the  Chinese  and  in  the  evening  foreigners 
meet  by  themselves.  Our  native  meetings  are  getting  so  large 
that  no  building  can  hold  them. 

Peking,  Feb,  15,  ipo6. 
To  THE  Same  : 

Can  you  spare  any  of  your  flock  for  service  in  China  ? 
The  field  is  the  world  and  there  is  no  more  needy  portion  of 
it  than  this  decrepit  empire.  The  craze  now  in  Peking  is  a 
sort  of  university  extension,  a  lecture,  with  no  mention  of  re- 
ligion. Dr.  Goodrich  lectured  to-night  on  astronomy.  Last 
week  we  had  electricity.  Next  week  we  may  come  within  gun- 
shot of  some  moral  ideas  by  a  lecture  on  opium.  We  make 
our  best  report  this  year — 1905 — 234  received  to  the  church 
and  contributions  of  all  sorts  of  about  $1,200  gold.     We  num- 


310  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

ber  now  just  i,ooo  members,  three  ordained  pastors,  fourteen 
helpers,  ten  teachers,  a  college  for  men,  and  one  for  women, 
three  boarding-schools  for  girls  and  seventeen  chapels  in  this 
station.  Last  year  the  Board  granted  $^40  for  this  work.  Was 
that  an  extravagant  sum  ? 

Peking^  Aug.  g,  igo6. 
Dear  Dr.  Leete  : 

I  was  very  glad  to  receive  your  kind  letter  of  May  30th, 
and  regret  that  I  have  been  so  long  in  replying.  But  this  has 
been  a  most  exacting  summer.  Mrs.  Ament  and  I  had  about 
two  weeks  in  our  little  cabin  by  the  sea  before  she  left  North 
China,  July  20th.  We  spent  the  last  night  together  on  a  little 
steamer  that  was  to  take  her  down  the  coast  of  China  to 
Shanghai.  I  went  back  and  spent  three  weeks  in  the  heat  in 
Peking,  and  came  here  three  days  ago  to  attend  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Tract  Society  and  to  get  ready  for  the  conference 
on  union,  also  for  the  meeting  of  the  committee  on  union  in 
education.  A  senior  missionary  in  China  has  to  serve,  per- 
force, on  all  committees  calling  for  experience,  and  labors 
increase  with  age,  which  hardly  seems  the  normal  way.  My 
heaviest  responsibility  is  to  act  as  chairman  of  the  conference 
committee — the  Centennial — on  Comity  and  Federation,  which 
will  entail  a  vast  correspondence  and  the  preparation  of  a  paper 
to  be  read  at  Shanghai  next  April. 

The  preceding  letter  alludes  to  the  coining  Centenary 
Conference.  The  committees  appointed  were  selected  from 
the  wide  range  of  missionary  workers  and  the  chairmen 
were  chosen  with  great  care.  The  result  showed  the  wis- 
dom of  the  elaborateness  in  preparation,  the  excellence  of 
which  was  to  set  the  pace,  perhaps,  for  the  still  wider  scope 
of  the  Edinburgh  Conference  in  June,  1910.  The  Shanghai 
Conference  of  1907  was  a  delegated  conference.  This  was 
necessitated  by  the  great  numbers  of  workers  aggregating, 
December  31,  1906,  3,833.  Of  these  selected  as  delegates 
122  men  and  thirty-five  women  were  chosen  to  form  twelve 
committees. 

Among  the  chairmen  of  committees,  Dr.  Ament  was 


HERALDS  OF  THE  NEW  CHINA        311 

elected  to  represent  the  problem  of  Comity  and  Federation. 
Each,  of  the  committees  had  a  membership  of  twenty-five, 
making  a  very  wide  exchange  of  opinion  possible  on  the 
important  questions  selected.  The  federation  scheme  in 
China  had  felt  its  way  along  until  it  was  absorbing  the 
special  interest  of  almost  every  mission.  The  shadow  of 
a  new  responsibility  rested  upon  Dr.  Ament  in  the  effort 
to  assimilate  the  varying  sentiments  of  the  missionary 
body.  He  was  to  have  the  large  assistance  of  many  mis- 
sionaries devoted  to  the  thought  of  union  in  effort.  At 
Pei  Tai  Ho  were  gathered  in  an  informal  way  a  very 
large  number  of  ardent  workers.  It  was  said  that  the 
delegates  represented  400  missionaries  in  North  China, 
with  perhaps  300  not  represented  by  delegates.  At  this 
meeting  the  following  resolution  was  carried  unani- 
mously:  **  Resolved,  that  this  conference  of  delegates 
representing  sixteen  missions  in  North  China  is  unani- 
mously of  the  opinion  that  it  is  desirable  to  form  a  fed- 
eral union  of  all  Christian  Churches  in  North  China. 
The  object  of  the  federation  shall  be  to  promote  every- 
thing that  will  demonstrate  the  essential  unity  of  the 
Christian  Church.'^ 

Pei  Tai  Ho,  Aug.  ii,  igo6. 
My  dear  Son  : 

You  will  have  the  advantage  of  me  in  seeing  your 
mother  before  I  do.  I  received  a  letter  from  her  from  Kobe, 
but  you  will  hear  all  her  experiences  from  her  own  lips.  Take 
good  care  of  her  while  she  is  with  you  as  I  shall  hope  to  spend 
many  good  years  with  her  yet.  She  is  greatly  missed  in  North 
China  and  all  are  poorer  by  her  absence.  It  is  not  often  that 
people  are  loved  as  she  is.  You  will  love  her  most  of  all  as 
she  is  your  best  earthly  friend.  I  am  living  all  alone,  but  it 
has  not  palled  on  me  yet  as  I  am  busy  and  my  mind  is  occupied 
with  many  things. 

I  hope  you  will  talk  over  with  your  mother  what  will  prob- 
ably be  your  life  plan,  so  that  we  can  adjust  our  plans  to  yours. 
This  is  a  day  for  specialization  and  it  is  well  to  begin  early  and 


312  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

do  thorough  work.  Make  a  good  deal  of  modern  languages, 
as  you  will  surely  need  every  requirement  in  that  line.  I  should 
like  you  to  know  enough  Latin  and  Greek  to  be  able  to  know 
the  origin  of  words  and  their  original  meaning.  But  certainly 
the  general  experience  is  that  most  people  forget  all  they  learn 
of  ancient  languages  except  what  gets  into  the  blood  and 
marrow. 

Your  father, 

W.  S.  A. 

Pekiftgf  Sept.  28,  igo6. 
To  HIS  Wife  : 

I  have  received  Edith's  card  announcing  your  arrival 
in  Oberlin.  I  hope  you  wull  not  be  too  ambitious  now  that 
you  are  in  a  free  land,  and  work  too  hard.  Affairs  are  moving 
on  here  finely  in  all  respects.  Station  class  has  from  thirteen 
to  twenty  men  four  times  a  day.  Miss  Russell  spends  Sunday 
at  the  bridge — Lu  Kou  Ch'iao — and  I  shall  be  at  Pu  An  Tun. 
The  following  Sunday  will  be  my  last  before  the  long  tour. 
Perhaps  thirty  persons  will  be  baptized.  The  compound  looks 
fine  and  our  gardener  goes  on  Monday  to  the  British  Legation, 
to  be  head  gardener. 

Peking,  Dec.  24,  igo6. 
To  THE  Same  : 

I  went  to  the  Lung  Fu  Ssu  temple  fair  and  bought 
trinkets  for  the  kids  in  our  compound.  I  bought  cart,  dog, 
stuffed  figures,  swords,  etc.  It  is  a  cold  day  and  there  are  not 
many  at  the  fair.  The  schoolboys  have  an  affair  on  for  the 
evening  and  we  are  all  invited.  To-morrow  is  a  great  day  and 
Deacon  Liu  just  told  me  they  had  650  presents.  That  will 
exceed  anything  ever  done  before.  The  Christmas  tree  is  in 
the  church  and  the  presents  are  spread  at  its  base. 

After  the  boys'  entertainment  they  had  their  outing  in  the 
schoolroom.  I  was  afraid  the  ceiling  would  give  way.  The 
room  was  crowded. 

Tuesday,  3  p.  m The  exercises  in  the  church  from  ten-thirty 

to  one  never  went  off  so  well.  The  Chinese  had  entire  charge 
of  the  program.  I  merely  called  off.  The  children  never 
sang  better  and  they  behaved  Hke  little  saints.  The  Chinese 
girls  had  charge  of  the  kindergarten  children,  Liu  Te  spoke 
well  and  John  Fan  read  the  Scriptures.     Then  came  the  panto- 


HERALDS  OF  THE  NEW  CHINA        313 

mimes.  Six  men  represented  different  worlds  and  spoke  and 
sang  well.  They  had  borrowed  all  the  old  clothes  in  the  com- 
pound, I  think.  Some  of  mine  may  be  lost  in  the  process  of 
returning.  After  that  came  the  presents  and  owing  to  the  good 
management  of  Deacon  Liu  not  a  child  was  missed  who  ought 
to  have  a  package.  After  the  schools  were  supplied,  the  out- 
side children  came  and  there  was  no  confusion. 

I  went  over  and  invited  Tuan  Fang's  school  to  come  and  to 
my  surprise  they  came  in  a  body,  sixty  strong,  and  we  gave 
them  reserved  seats  and  the  boys  a  package  each,  and  the 
teachers  a  handkerchief  and  some  edibles.  Evidently  Tuan, 
the  fifth,  was  pleased  as  he  sent  over  four  boxes  of  fruit,  want- 
ing the  boxes  back  again.  This  is  the  family  of  Tuan  Fang, 
the  well  known  Viceroy,  of  whom  we  hear  now  that  he  has 
been  displaced  by  intrigues  at  the  capital.  To-night  I  show 
the  Salvation  Army  pictures.  Miss  Russell  has  a  lecture — Yen 
Shuo — on  Saturday  and  invites  all  the  women. 

Tuesday  evening,  9  p.  m. — The  great  day  is  over.  The 
event  at  Mr.  Rockhill's  passed  off  pleasantly,  as  in  other  years. 
Mr.  Rockhill  was  most  agreeable.  At  seven-thirty  we  had  the 
pictures  in  the  church.  The  church  was  packed  full  and  I  had 
the  doors  shut  and  we  had  a  fairly  quiet  time.  I  talked  my 
throat  nearly  out,  but  I  hope  I  have  done  some  good.  The 
North  Church  were  here  in  good  numbers.  The  Tuan  family 
were  well  represented  by  very  nice  looking  children.  I  have 
enjoyed  the  whole  day  and  never  spent  a  pleasanter  Christmas. 
I  hope  we  can  have  a  pleasant  year  in  1907.  I  am  invited  to 
escort  the  deputation  to  Shansi.  It  will  be  a  busy  year.  Home 
Missionary  Society  comes  early  in  the  year,  then  the  deputation, 
the  mission  meeting,  then  Shansi,  then  my  tours.  Where  will 
Pei  Tai  Ho  come  in  ?  May  the  New  Year  bring  you  many 
blessings. 

December  2g,  jgo6. 
My  dear  Mary  : 

Doubtless  this  will  be  the  last  letter  of  the  old  year. 
Wen  T'ing  Liang  has  been  at  work  on  the  translation  of  a 
hymn — Whiter  than  Snow.  In  some  way  the  boys  got  hold  of 
this  for  Christmas  and  sang  it  very  nicely. 

Sunday  evening  Mr.  Gordon  took  dinner  with  us.  English 
service  in  the  Angell  Memorial.  It  was  pleasant  and  warm. 
Mr.  Meech  turned  up  with  the  Reverend  Chang,  a  Chinese 


314  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

preacher  from  Australia,  who  spoke  on  the  Good  Samaritan. 
He  is  to  speak  to-morrow  evening  in  my  house  on  the  opium 
question.  To-morrow  he  has  an  interview  with  Tang  Shao  Yi 
on  this  matter.  All  opium  joints  must  close  in  Peking  in  the 
next  six  months.  Mr.  Chang  is  a  very  fine  speaker  of  the 
English  language. 


Give  me  to  sleep,  give  me  to  wake 
Girded  and  shod,  and  bid  me  play 
The  hero  in  the  coming  play. 

— Stevenson. 


XXIII 

DEPUTATION,  CONFERENCE,  AND  FEDERATION 

Peking,  Feb.  i6,  igo'j. 
My  dear  Son  : 

I  have  just  returned  from  a  feast  at  the  home  of  Deacon 
Wan.  We  had  a  right  rollicking  time.  The  feast  was  enjoyed 
by  Dr.  Barton,  and  all  were  in  good  spirits.  We  compared 
Turkish  and  Chinese  jokes  and  Pastor  Jen  outdid  all  in  telling 
good  stories.  Many  of  these  could  not  be  appreciated  unless 
you  understood  the  Chinese  language. 

Last  evening  Dr.  Barton  lectured  on  Turkey  to  a  good 
audience  and  1  interpreted  for  him.  I  was  surprised  to  see  so 
many  out  so  early  in  the  year. 

Yesterday  we  returned  from  Tung-chow,  where  I  spent  a 
most  pleasant  day.  Dr.  Ingram  and  Dwight  Chapin  have  gone 
up  in  the  woods  to  shoot  monkeys,  of  which  there  is  a  special 
breed  in  the  Hunting  Park  where  they  go.  It  is  strange  to 
find  monkeys  so  far  north  and  where  there  were  none  a  few 
years  ago.  The  boys  at  Tung- chow  are  in  good  spirits  and 
Mr.  Gait  says  the  spiritual  tone  is  improving  as  well  as  the  in- 
tellectual. Our  Peking  boys  have  done  better  than  in  previous 
years  and  I  think  we  are  out  of  the  woods  with  them. 

On  Monday,  Dr.  Barton  and  I  start  out  for  Shansi,  spend- 
ing two  nights  in  Pao  Ting  Fu  and  going  by  rail  to  within 
three  days  of  Taiku.  Mr.  Corbin  will  meet  us  at  the  junction 
and  will  bring  cook  and  provisions  for  the  way.  This  is  a 
great  relief  to  me  as  I  will  not  have  to  look  after  the  culinary 
department.  While  I  am  absent  my  well  digging  machine  will 
begin  work  and  I  shall  hope  to  put  down  three  or  four  wells 
this  season.  I  am  in  hopes  the  man  who  runs  it  will  soon  be 
able  to  buy  the  whole  outfit.  The  well  at  our  chapel  in  Cho 
Chou  is  a  great  success  and  the  pastor  is  happy.  We  are  hav- 
ing the  most  delightful  weather  imaginable.  It  is  cold  but 
bracing  and  the  children  all  have  rosy  cheeks. 

Saturday,  lo  p.  m. — Just  back  from  a  lecture  to  the  soldiers 

315 


316  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

on  Chinese  coinage.  A  good  company  was  present,  not  many 
Americans.  One  American  soldier  had  some  Greek  coins 
which  he  asked  me  to  identify.  1  begged  to  be  excused.  A 
French  soldier  had  a  goodly  quantity  of  old  Chinese  coins  and 
I  helped  him  out  a  little.  Some  Belgian  soldiers  seemed  very 
bright  and  thoughtful.  I  spoke  for  about  an  hour  and  a  half 
and  then  ran  out  of  ideas.  I  had  my  new  collection  of  coins, 
and  they  seemed  very  much  interested.  The  new  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
room  is  the  old  Methodist  chapel  on  the  steeet.  Your  mother 
can  tell  you  the  location. 

It  was  especially  appropriate  that  Dr.  Ament  should 
visit  Shansi  as  Dr.  Barton's  interpreter.  Many  years  be- 
fore he  had  visited  Shansi.  In  those  days  it  was  a  long 
journey,  twelve  days  at  least,  by  cart  or  litter  from 
Peking.  The  Chinese  inns  en  route  were  those  of  the 
ordinary  Chinese  official  travellers,  and  the  perils  of  the 
trip  were  enough  to  make  it  an  arduous  task.  Those 
were  the  days  also  shortly  after  the  great  famine  which 
depleted  the  province  in  the  most  disastrous  way, 
millions  having  fallen  victims  to  its  devastation.  A 
new  pathos  was  to  form  a  part  of  this  second  journey,  for 
in  this  province  had  occurred  the  most  fearful  massacres 
of  many  workers  who  were  unable  to  reach  any  place  of 
safety,  the  pitiful  victims  of  the  ignorance  and  the  brutal 
rage  of  the  governor  of  the  province,  carrying  out  with 
zeal  the  fierce  proclamation  of  the  imperial  authorities  at 
the  time.  In  the  restoration,  Dr.  Atwood  bravely  opened 
the  way  in  gathering  together  the  scattered  fragments  of 
the  churches,  and  brave  young  spirits  from  Oberlin  were 
ere  long  ready  to  answer  the  summons,  and  ''follow  in 
their  train."  Rev.  Paul  L.  Corbin  entered  the  Shansi 
Mission,  believing  "that  Oberlin  should  send  at  least 
one  man  to  the  field  where  such  a  goodly  number  of  her 
sons  were  called  upon  for  the  supreme  sacrifice."  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Corbin  had  joined  the  mission  in  the  autumn 
of  1906.     With  them  went  Miss  Flora  K.  Heebner  to 


CONFERENCE  AND  FEDERATION   317 

take  up  work  in  school  and  among  women  which  was  in 
the  hands  of  Miss  Partridge  and  Miss  Bird,  who  perished 
with  the  martyrs  of  Taiku  in  1900. 

Drs.  Barton  and  Ament  left  Peking  by  rail  on  the 
morning  of  Monday,  February  18th,  and  spent  the  night 
with  the  station  friends  at  Pao  Ting  Fu.  They  left  Pao 
Ting  Fu  on  the  forenoon  of  the  19th,  and  at  noon  Mr. 
Corbin  met  them  at  the  eastern  terminus  of  the  Shansi 
railway.  That  afternoon  the  party  rode  on  the  new  rail- 
way as  far  as  the  construction  had  proceeded.  Here 
they  took  mule  litters  and  spent  three  days  on  the  way, 
reaching  at  last  Taiku,  the  station  of  the  American  Board 
Mission.  Mr.  Corbin  has  himself  kindly  furnished  an 
account  of  this  visit  as  far  as  relates  to  Dr.  Ament. 

Immediately  upon  reaching  the  Shansi  field  Dr.  Ament  be- 
gan to  manifest  a  keen  interest  in  the  work  of  the  mission.  On 
the  first  Sabbath  of  his  visit  he  preached  a  strong  sermon  in 
the  forenoon  and  in  the  evening  spoke  in  a  newly  opened  street 
chapel  in  the  city.  The  large  audience  and  close  attention  in 
the  street  chapel  greatly  pleased  him,  and  he  remarked  with  en- 
thusiasm to  the  missionary  in  charge  of  the  station  that  the  lat- 
ter ought  to  open  the  chapel  and  preach  every  evening  in  the 
week.  Also  on  that  Sabbath  Dr.  Ament  read  to  the  little  com- 
pany of  missionaries  the  paper  that  he,  as  chairman  of  the 
Committee  on  Comity  and  Federation,  had  prepared  for  the 
Shanghai  Conference. 

The  next  day  we  left  for  Fenchow,  the  other  station  of  the 
mission,  distant  fifty-three  miles.  That  afternoon  Dr.  Ament 
met  with  a  slight  accident.  The  mule  drawing  the  cart  in 
which  he  was  riding  became  frightened  and  ran  away.  To  save 
himself  from  being  overturned  in  a  deep  ditch  Dr.  Ament 
leaped  from  the  cart,  and  in  so  doing  suffered  a  cut  on  his 
hand  and  wrist,  and  some  bruises  on  his  shoulder.  After 
reaching  the  inn  where  we  were  to  spend  the  night  the  wound 
was  dressed  by  Dr.  Hemingway,  and  beyond  some  lameness 
for  a  few  days  Dr.  Ament  seemed  none  the  worse  for  an  adven- 
ture that  might  have  terminated  very  seriously.  That  same 
evening  a  delegation  of  Christians  in  the  town  where  we  were 


318  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

spending  the  night  came  into  the  inn  and  asked  Dr.  Ament  to 
lead  their  evening  prayers.  Seeming  to  forget  his  injured  hand 
and  the  weariness  from  the  journey  he  led  their  service  and 
gave  them  most  helpful  admonition. 

Wednesday,  February  27th,  was  spent  in  the  Fenchow  sta- 
tion. Dr.  Ament  spoke  to  the  Chinese  Christians  both  in  the 
morning  and  afternoon,  and  in  the  evening  organized  a  Chris- 
tian Endeavor  Society  of  fifteen  members,  enrolling  the  leaders 
of  the  native  church.  He  was  very  enthusiastic  over  the  out- 
look for  the  station,  and  Dr.  I.  J.  Atwood,  then  in  charge  of 
the  work  at  Fenchow,  spoke  with  deep  appreciation,  then  and 
later,  of  the  work  done  by  Dr.  Ament  in  his  brief  visit. 

Returning  to  Taikuhsien  on  Friday,  March  ist.  Dr.  Ament 
attended  a  Chinese  feast  with  Mr.  Corbin  and  Dr.  Hemingway 
in  the  afternoon,  and  in  the  evening  preached  in  the  street 
chapel.  The  church-members  from  the  out-stations  had  begun 
to  gather  in  for  a  ^'  big  meeting,"  and  all  were  captivated  by 
the  earnestness  and  simplicity  of  Dr.  Ament's  message.  On 
Saturday  another  feast  was  on  the  program,  in  honor  of  Dr. 
Barton.  Dr.  Ament  enjoyed  meeting  some  of  the  leading 
bankers  and  business  men  of  the  city  and  district  at  these  ban- 
quets, and  in  Taikuhsien,  the  most  important  city  commer- 
cially in  Shansi,  the  province  of  bankers,  he  could  hardly  help 
meeting  some  men  who  had  known  him,  or  had  heard  him 
preach,  in  Peking.  Both  Saturday  and  Sunday  evenings  found 
him  preaching  with  evident  enjoyment  in  the  always  crowded 
street  chapel.  On  one  of  those  evenings  he  had  the  hymn, 
"Jesus  loves  me,  this  I  know,"  written  upon  the  blackboard, 
and  kept  the  audience  repeating  it  until  even  the  men  and  boys 
from  the  street  could  sing  it  with  great  gusto. 

Sunday  morning,  March  3d,  found  the  main  chapel  at 
Taikuhsien  filled,  many  having  been  attracted  by  the  notice 
that  Dr.  Ament  was  to  preach.  He  spoke  most  tenderly  from 
the  text,  "  And  the  sea  is  no  more."  Both  he  and  Dr.  Barton 
rejoiced  in  seeing  sixteen  persons  baptized  and  received  into 
the  church  that  day,  and  Dr.  Ament  led  the  communion  serv- 
ice following  the  reception  of  members.  That  evening,  dele- 
gations of  church-members  called  to  bid  him  good-bye,  for 
before  dawn  of  the  next  morning  he  and  Dr.  Barton  began  their 
return  journey. 

Several  of  Dr.  Ament's  strongest  characteristics  were  brought 
out  very  vividly  in  this  Shansi  visit.     His  earnest  and  warm- 


CONFERENCE  AND  FEDERATION   319 

hearted  evangelistic  spirit  made  a  deep  impression  on  the  na- 
tive church.  The  Christians  marvelled  at  his  energy,  and  so 
fell  into  a  happy  mistake  when  they  asked  if  a  full-length  por- 
trait of  President  Roosevelt  that  hung  in  Dr.  Hemingway's 
study  was  not  Dr.  Ament's  likeness.  His  power  to  win  and 
hold  friends  was  also  brought  out  on  this  visit,  and  several 
business  men  whom  he  met  socially  while  at  Taikuhsien  long 
continued  to  inquire  for  "  Pastor  Mei."  Though  these  men 
are  not  yet  believers  their  sorrow  seemed  as  genuine  as  that  of 
the  Christians  when  they  heard  not  long  ago  that  Dr.  Ament 
had  "  returned  to  the  heavenly  home." 

To  the  missionaries  visited  upon  this  journey  Dr.  Ament 
brought  great  inspiration.  His  energy,  his  uncomplaining  en- 
durance of  hard  travel  conditions,  his  zeal  as  a  preacher,  his 
delight  in  the  little  children  in  our  homes,  his  loving  and  help- 
ful counsel,  all  contribute  to  most  fragrant  memories  of  this 
brave  and  gentle  Christian  knight.  To  think  of  him  is  to  de- 
termine to  strive  better  :  his  memory  is  an  unfailing  inspiration. 

The  above  visit  occupied  the  days  until  March  6th, 
when  Dr.  Anient  returned  to  Peking,  leaving  Dr.  Barton 
to  make  a  detour  during  which  he  visited  the  Lin  Ching 
and  P'ang  Chuang  stations  in  the  Shantung  Province. 
Dr.  Barton  returned  thence  to  Peking  and  visited  the 
Kalgan  station  between  March  19th  and  27th,  returning 
once  more  to  Peking. 

Peking,  March  24,  igoy. 
Dear  Dr.  Strong  : 

We  are  just  now  in  Holy  Week  and  holding  daily  meet- 
ings. This  week  is  becoming  increasingly  precious  to  the 
Chinese  church.  The  idea  of  sacrifice  as  an  expression  of  love 
as  well  as  of  power  is  unknown  in  this  eastern  world.  The 
Buddhistic  idea  of  sacrifice  begins  and  ends  in  self  and  the  out- 
come is  merit.  This  merit  will  oifset  the  shortcomings  of  life. 
The  character  of  Christ  as  the  ideal  is  gradually  looming  up 
before  the  Chinese  mind,  though  it  is  hard  for  them  to  realize 
how  one  has  both  power  to  avoid  suffering  and  at  the  same  time 
endure  suffering,  as  a  perfect  character,  willingly. 

The  Home  Missionary  Society  of  our  Peking  station  is  our 
pride  and  our  joy.     They  support  one  native  helper,  one  pastor 


320  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

and  one  day-school.  Larger  societies  take  no  more  pleasure  in 
independent  work  than  does  this  little  society  in  North  China, 
begun  and  carried  on  by  men  and  women,  hardly  one  of  whom 
has  an  income  beyond  the  absolute  needs  of  the  family.  Of 
their  own  initiative  they  organized  a  course  of  study  for  helpers 
and  lay  members  of  the  church  and  the  examinations  will  be 
conducted  by  the  native  pastors.  From  the  successful  ones  are 
to  be  chosen  the  future  preachers.  The  interest  shown  by  the 
body  of  members,  the  statesman -like  views  of  the  leaders,  and 
their  ability  to  think  and  to  plan  all  give  us  great  hope  for  the 
future  of  the  society.  Other  stations  are  establishing  like  so- 
cieties and  in  the  course  of  time  these  various  societies  will 
amalgamate  and  form  a  great  society  for  North  China. 

On  the  twentieth  of  this  month  the  Emperor  made  his  first 
trip  to  the  temple  of  Confucius  to  carry  out  the  recent  edict  of 
the  Empress  Dowager,  that  Confucius  should  be  worshipped  as 
the  equal  of  heaven  and  earth.  It  is  thought  that  the  elevation 
of  Confucius  to  this  great  eminence  is  to  show  that  he  is  as 
high  as  Christ  and  that  there  is  nothing  in  the  universe  greater 
than  the  "  perfect  teacher,  sage  and  god  Confucius."  The  same 
rites  that  have  been  observed  in  the  worship  of  heaven  are  to 
be  observed  in  the  worship  of  Confucius.  The  Emperor  has 
also  established  schools  in  the  native  city  of  Confucius,  in 
Shantung,  where  only  the  writings  of  Confucius  are  to  be 
studied.  The  Duke  in  the  seventieth  generation  from  Confu- 
cius is  now  en  route  to  Peking  to  thank  the  Emperor  in  person 
for  this  great  honour  conferred  upon  his  ancestor  and  upon  his 
native  city  and  the  region.  A  yellow  chair  is  provided  for  him 
with  bearers  and  he  is  given  more  than  regal  honor. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  North  China  Mission,  1907, 
was  made  memorable  by  the  presence  of  the  deputation 
appointed  to  visit  China.  Dr.  Barton  had  already  visited 
each  station  of  the  mission,  the  last  being  Tientsin,  where 
Professor  Moore  had  joined  him.  They  hastened  with 
others  to  Tung-chow  where  as  hitherto  the  annual  meet- 
ing was  held.  The  meetings  began  on  Saturday,  the  6th 
of  April,  lasting  until  the  14th.  On  Sunday,  the  7th, 
the  morning  service  was  devoted  to  a  welcome  in  Chinese 
to  the  deputation,  by  the  native  pastor  at  Tung-chow, 


CONFERENCE  AND  FEDERATION   321 

Mr.  KuDg,  and  the  responses  by  Drs.  Moore  and  Barton, 
duly  translated.  The  special  interest  in  this  annual 
meeting,  aside  from  the  usual  reports  which  were  en- 
couraging and  hopeful  beyond  the  common  years,  centred 
naturally  in  the  discussions  and  explanations  due  to  the 
presence  of  the  deputation.  On  Thursday  the  mission 
was  in  the  committee  of  the  whole,  discussing  questions 
raised  by  the  deputation  relative  to  the  financial  policy  of 
the  Board  and  methods  of  work,  as  well  as  the  outlook 
for  the  future,  and  as  to  the  questions  of  self-support, 
titles  of  property,  buildings,  and  conferences  with  the 
native  church.  The  vote  of  the  mission  expressed  in  a 
formal  way  its  estimate  of  the  value  of  the  coming  of  the 
deputation. 

Aside  from  the  general  criticisms  which  might  naturally 
occur,  or  suggestions  as  to  the  impression  which  was 
made  upon  them  by  the  present  aspect  of  the  mission 
work,  the  deputation  entered  into  the  social  and  spiritual 
life  of  the  mission  with  great  interest  and  in  their  ad- 
dresses and  personal  appeals  made  a  deep  impression,  as 
well  as  upon  the  Chinese  who  heard  their  words  through 
the  several  interpreters.  It  was  Dr.  Ament's  part  to 
share  largely  in  interpreting  the  views  of  the  deputation, 
especially  to  the  Chinese  gatherings  at  Peking.  He 
shared  with  the  secretary  and  Dr.  Moore  in  the  large 
outlook  for  Christian  effort  and  in  the  freer  estimate  with 
which  modern  thought  looks  upon  the  relation  of  the  na- 
tive peoples  to  the  religion  which  is  brought  to  them, 
through  the  devotion  and  ardent  philanthropy  of  Chris- 
tian believers  in  America  and  Europe. 

From  the  annual  meeting  the  delegates  and  the  depu- 
tation hastened  southward  to  attend  the  Centenary  Mis- 
sionary Conference,  held  at  Shanghai  April  25th-May 
8th.  One  hundred  years  had  passed  since  Robert  Mor- 
rison had  arrived  in  Canton. 


322  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

The  time  had  come  at  the  end  of  a  century  to  estimate 
the  underlying  forces  and  to  make  real  to  the  world  the 
splendor  of  the  progress  in  this  unwilling  land.  The  three 
years  spent  in  elaborate  preparation,  in  the  appointment 
of  large  committees,  in  the  assignment  of  the  many  prob- 
lems to  carefully  selected  leaders,  and  in  arousing  a  special 
interest  in  the  gathering  was  now  to  bear  rich  and  abun- 
dant fruit.  The  place  was  the  central  point  of  effective 
work  in  China. 

The  records  of  this  Centenary  Conference  have  been 
fully  published.  It  will  not  be  necessary  to  refer  to  the 
large  problems  that  were  discussed,  nor  to  the  world-wide 
influence  of  this  effective  assembly,  except  so  far  as  they 
relate  to  Dr.  Ament  and  the  share  he  was  permitted  to  take 
in  the  subject  committed  to  him.  Of  the  eleven  large 
themes  assigned  for  consideration,  each  occupied  much 
of  a  single  day  in  the  presentation.  It  was  on  the  ninth 
day  of  the  conference,  Monday,  May  6th,  that  Dr.  Ament 
took  the  floor  to  present  an  abstract  of  his  paper  on  the 
subject :  ^'  Comity  and  Federation.'' 

The  nineteenth  century,  especially  in  the  United  States,  opened 
with  theological  strife.  The  Church  was  divided  into  parties 
which  gradually  swung  off  into  denominations.  Is  the  twen- 
tieth century,  in  its  opening  years,  to  witness  a  welding  of  the 
broken  fragments  into  something  like  unity?  Unity  is  the 
goal  towards  which  all  events  move,  social,  political,  religious. 
The  Hague  tribunal  is  a  portent  of  peace  and  one  of  the  most 
significant  events  of  history.  Christ  came  not  to  found  a 
church  but  to  establish  a  kingdom.  Unity  is  always  a  condi- 
tion of  Pentecost — not  uniformity,  but  more  than  comity.  In 
India  the  Dutch  Reformed  and  the  Free  Churches  of  Scotland 
have  effected  a  memorable  union,  with  a  simple  confession  of 
faith  in  four  articles.  The  Free  Church  Federation  of  Great 
Britain  practically  covers  the  country.  In  Canada,  Nova 
Scotia,  New  Zealand,  Australia,  Korea,  Japan,  as  well  as  India, 
those  formerly  opposed  to  each  other  are  now  allied.  The 
Federation  Conference  in  New  York  in  1905  discovered  no 


CONFERENCE  AND  FEDERATION   323 

special  barrier  to  the  federation  of  thirty  denominations  repre- 
senting fifty  million  of  people.  Successful  federation  in  China 
must  be  vital,  not  formal.  It  must  include  the  Chinese  Chris- 
tians. The  longer  deferred  the  more  difficult.  Different 
members  of  the  committee  have  made  valuable  suggestions 
towards  forming  a  united  council  of  the  Christians  of  China 
for  considering  any  and  all  questions  of  importance  in  extend- 
ing Christ's  kingdom.  It  is  felt  that  principles  must  not  be 
wrecked  by  details,  but  this  conference  must  give  fresh  impetus 
to  this  movement.  Integration  will  imply  some  sacrifices  and 
concessions  which  we  must  be  prepared  to  make. 

With  this  as  a  preliminary  Dr.  Ament  introduced  the 
series  of  resolutions  accepted  by  his  Committee  on  Comity 
and  Federation.  He  spoke  of  the  rising  tide  of  harmony 
and  good  feeling.  There  were  significant  omissions  in 
the  resolutions.  The  word  Protestant  was  not  used. 
They  were  gathered  as  Christians,  and  not  as  Protestants, 
to  discuss  these  resolutions.  Members  of  the  Latin  and 
Greek  churches  who  came,  Bible  in  hand  and  in  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ,  would  not  be  turned  away.  Nor  were  the 
words,  non- conformist  or  dissenter,  used.  Party  names 
should  have  no  place  here.  There  was  no  mention  of  any 
creed. 

Dr.  Ament  then  went  on  to  detail  the  objects  of  the 
resolutions  and  outline  their  effect  if  adopted. 

He  presented  each  resolution  in  order.  An  amend- 
ment to  the  first  resolution  suggesting  a  change  in  the 
name  was  accepted,  as  follows  :  ''The  name  shall  be  The 
Christian  Federation  of  China.  ^' 

A  strenuous  debate  followed.  Dr.  Ament  answering 
questions  as  to  the  working  of  the  plans,  or  explaining 
the  purpose  of  his  committee. 

Among  those  speaking  was  Bishop  Bashford,  who  con- 
sidered the  resolutions  ''eminently  safe,  practical  and 
conservative.'*  The  vote  was  taken  at  the  close  of  the 
morning  session  and  the  first  resolution  was  passed,  leaa 


324  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

than  a  dozen  hands  showing  in  opposition.  The  after- 
noon session  was  even  more  strenuous,  as  Dr.  Ament  of- 
fered in  turn  the  successive  resolutions,  accepting  or  de- 
clining amendments  as  they  affected  the  general  tenor  of 
the  committee's  plan.  In  the  course  of  the  debates  a  ref- 
erence was  made  to  Dr.  Ament' s  remarks  dealing  with 
the  creeds,  and  the  hope  was  offered  that  those  remarks 
might  be  deleted  from  the  reports.  In  reply  Dr.  Ament 
said  the  remarks  represented  his  own  opinion,  and  as  his 
memory  served  him  he  had  nothing  to  withdraw.  He 
had  made  no  reflection  on  the  two  great  creeds  of  the 
Church.  After  further  discussion.  Dr.  Ament  felt  the 
drift  of  conference  and  then  said:  ''In  the  interests  of 
harmony  I  am  willing  to  withdraw  portions  of  my  ad- 
dress which  may  not  be  acceptable  to  the  conference." 
The  conference  then  adopted  the  resolutions  as  a  whole. 

The  first  and  second  resolutions  give  the  name  and  ob- 
jects proposed. 

1.  This  conference  recommends  the  formation  of  a 
federal  union  under  the  title,  ''The  China  Christian 
Federation." 

2.  The  objects  of  this  federation  are  to  foster  and  en- 
courage the  sentiment  and  practice  of  union,  and  to  work 
for  the  ultimate  accomplishment  of  our  ideal— a  united 
Christian  Church  in  China. 

In  view  of  these  resolutions  strenuously  debated,  and 
carried  all  but  unanimously,  we  may  fittingly  quote  the 
local  newpapers:  "The  key-note  of  the  conference  has 
been  unity.  It  has  underlaid  every  series  of  resolutions, 
every  paper  prepared,  and  hardly  an  hour  has  passed 
without  some  reference  to  it.  The  meeting  of  such  a  con- 
ference was  in  itself  a  triumph  of  union  and  nothing  can 
bring  home  more  convincingly  to  the  native  Christians 
the  fact  that  in  all  essentials  the  Protestant  missions  are  at 
one.    The  Centenary  Conference  must  go  down  to  history 


CONFERENCE  AND  FEDERATION   325 

as  an  epoch-making  event.     Those  who  attended  the  con- 
ference from  day  to  day  cannot  but  feel  that : 

"  There  shall  come  a  time  when  brotherhood  shows  stronger 
Than  the  narrow  bounds  which  now  distract  the  world. 
When  the  bars  of  creed  and  speech  and  race,  which  sever, 
Shall  be  fused  in  one  humanity  forever." 

Of  Dr.  Ament's  personal  feelings  during  the  great  day 
of  the  development  of  his  ardent  plans  for  unity  and  ex- 
pansion in  Christian  effort  we  have  scarce  a  word  from 
himself,  but  it  is  a  pleasure  to  add  the  estimate  of  those 
who  were  present  and  able  to  judge  of  his  bearing  and 
his  strength,  as  well  as  courtesy,  in  the  long  discussion. 
Of  this  Dr.  C.  C.  Creegan,  at  that  time  district  secretary 
of  the  American  Board  in  New  York,  and  visiting  the 
missions  with  Dr.  A.  N.  Hitchcock,  district  secretary  in 
Chicago,  writes  as  follows  : 

I  want  to  speak  also  of  the  way  Dr.  Ament  bore  himself  at 
the  great  Shanghai  Conference.  I  was  with  him  there  ten 
days.  He  was  ill  most  of  the  time,  complaining  of  his  head. 
I  wonder  if  it  was  not  the  beginning  of  the  disease  which 
finally  caused  his  death.  You  will  recall  that  he  was  chairman 
of  the  Committee  on  Church  Federation.  When  the  time 
came  for  him  to  make  his  report,  he  delivered  an  address, 
twenty  minutes  in  length,  I  believe,  which  was  one  of  remark- 
able power  and  made  a  deep  impression  on  all  who  heard  it. 
This  was  followed  by  a  discussion  which  lasted  practically  all 
day,  and  although  opinions  differed  on  some  of  the  points 
which  had  been  presented  by  your  husband,  at  the  conclusion 
the  vote  was  unanimous.  If  you  could  have  been  present,  as 
I  was,  and  have  heard  his  masterly  address,  I  think  you  would 
have  felt  that  he  was  speaking  at  his  best,  out  of  a  ripe  experi- 
ence and  from  the  deepest  conviction  of  his  heart  as  to  the 
needs  of  China. 

Prof.  E.  0.  Moore  writes  as  follows  in  the  Missionary 
Herald  for  July,  1907  ; 


326  AVILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

There  was  the  freest  expression  of  opinion,  and  upon  matters 
concerning  which  the  widest  differences  prevail.  But  the 
dominant  impression  made  by  the  convention  was  that  of  the 
seriousness  with  which  the  delegates  approached  their  work. 
Men  stood  in  awe  as  they  thought  of  the  gravity  of  the  issues 
which  were  involved.  Never  perhaps  has  the  spirit  of  prayer 
more  truly  possessed  a  deliberative  body.  And  out  of  the 
sense  of  the  presence  of  God  there  came  a  charity  and  kindli- 
ness of  judgment  which  in  no  way  hindered  earnestness,  or 
even  the  saving  sense  of  humor,  but  which  brought  the  con- 
vention at  the  end  of  every  day's  debate  to  the  practical  una- 
nimity that  characterized  the  conclusions  of  the  conference. 
The  greatness  of  the  problems  which  these  missionaries  face, 
and  to  some  extent  the  newness  of  the  conditions  in  which 
they  work,  made  this  conference  such  an  exemplification  of  the 
spirit  of  Christianity  as  has  rarely  been  seen.  In  truth  out  of 
the  discussions  of  Comity  and  Federation  came  resolutions 
which  not  only  organize  for  effective  cooperation  all  Protestant 
bodies  now  working  in  China  but  hold  before  the  workers  the 
ideal  of  a  united  church  of  China. 

On  the  Yang  Tse,  May  20,  igoy. 
Dear  Dr.  Leete  : 

I  am  on  the  broad  bosom  of  the  mighty  Yang  Tse,  en 
route  for  Peking  after  attending  the  Centenary  Conference. 

As  chairman  of  the  Comity  and  Federation  Committee  hours 
were  spent  in  consultation  on  resolutions,  which  were  finally 
accepted  by  the  conference,  and  federation  of  the  eighty  mis- 
sions in  China  is  about  to  be  achieved. 

I  am  one  of  a  committee  of  twenty-five  to  start  federation 
councils  in  the  provinces,  and  from  them  to  elect  a  general  fed- 
eration council  who  will  act  for  the  whole  missionary  body. 
We  thus  hope  to  get  closer  together  and  take  away  the  reproach 
that  we  are  divided.  The  spirit  of  the  conference  was  most 
beautiful  to  behold  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  power  of  sec- 
tarianism has  been  broken  and  there  will  be  in  China,  in  good 
time,  one  Christian  church.  Now  if  the  churches  at  home  can 
follow  this  good  example  there  will  be  hope  of  a  united  church 
in  the  world  and  more  strength  for  the  spreading  of  the  Gospel. 
The  Anglicans  were  especially  active  in  promoting  everything 
which  looked  towards  unity  in  the  church  and  proved  them- 
selves most  irenic  and  aggressive  in  every  good  thing. 


CONFERENCE  AND  FEDERATION   327 

The  different  Baptist,  Presbyterian,  Lutheran,  Methodist  and 
Episcopalian  denominations  all  federated,  or  united.  We  Eng- 
lish and  American  Congregationalists  had  union  meetings,  but 
no  burning  questions  were  up  before  us  and  no  organization 
was  effected. 

I  wish  you  could  take  a  ride  on  this  majestic  river.  The 
volume  of  water  is  vast.  Islands  abound,  almost  as  large  as  a 
county  at  home.  Porpoise  are  found  800  miles  up  the  river. 
The  banks  are  fairly  lined  with  fishermen  and  their  huts. 
Mountains  line  the  shore,  on  which  thousands  of  sheep  might 
be  fed.  But  they  are  not  here.  The  resources  of  the  river  and 
the  land  adjoining  seem  not  to  be  touched.  More  teeming 
miUions  might  be  supported,  if  they  learned  to  work  together 
and  could  trust  each  other.  AVe  have  just  passed  the  "Little 
Orphan"  rock,  an  island,  a  sharp  pinnacle  of  rock  running  up 
sheer  from  the  water,  with  two  temples  on  it.  It  must  be  a 
lonesome  place  for  the  priests  who  live  there.  The  river  here 
is  magnificent,  reminding  one  of  the  inland  sea  of  Japan.  High 
rocks  abound  and  birds  seem  to  find  a  home  in  them. 

We  are  at  the  borders  of  two  provinces.  An  Hui  and  Kiang- 
si.  The  latter  is  one  of  the  worst  provinces  of  the  empire,  and 
riots  and  troubles  are  of  constant  occurrence.  Mission  work 
has  as  yet  taken  small  hold  of  the  province.  To-night  we 
reach  Kiukiang,  from  whence  there  is  a  road  to  Kuling,  a  high 
mountain  where  missionaries  go  to  escape  the  summer  heat  and 
malaria. 

I  have  felt  the  strain  of  the  past  year,  preparing  my  paper 
and  doing  a  large  correspondence.  I  expect  to  get  a  horse 
when  I  get  to  Peking  and  see  if  I  cannot  better  my  condition. 


"  Forget  the  day  that  is  done,  and  prepare  to 
make  the  coming  day  the  best  day  you  ever 
knew.  Expect  the  new  day  to  be  the  best  day 
you  ever  knew  and  you  will  do  your  best  to 
make  it  so.  Meet  life  as  a  king  and  you  will  be 
treated  as  a  king ;  meet  life  as  a  weakling  and 
a  place  for  weaklings  will  be  the  only  place  of- 
fered you," 

XXIV 

NEW   HOPES   FOR  SOCIAL  AND  MORAL  UPLIFT 
IN  CHINA 

Peking,  June  12,  igoy. 
My  dear  Mary  : 

Stelle  left  this  morning  for  Pei  Tai  Ho.  The  best  thing  is 
that  Pastor  Wang  and  Kao  Hsin  have  come  to  me  and  inti- 
mated that  the  former  may  accept  the  call  to  Nan  Meng. 
They  have  gone  now  to  consult  with  the  other  members  of  the 
committee.  That  will  lift  a  burden  from  my  mind.  I  took 
dinner  last  night  with  several  Chinese  gentlemen,  and  their  idea 
is  to  start  a  decent  newspaper  in  Peking,  and  they  want  Dr. 
Martin  and  myself  to  help.  They  will  have  a  Christian  de- 
partment as  well  as  scientific,  hterary,  etc.  They  seemed  in 
earnest  and  have  a  good  property  inside  the  Ch'i  Hua  Gate 
already  purchased.  Prince  Su  is  sending  seven  of  his  sons  to 
Chang  Hsi  Tung's  school  and  thinks  this  school  is  the  best  in 
the  city.  (Dr.  Ament  was  trustee  of  this  school.)  Rain  has 
fallen  in  small  quantities,  and  the  great  dryness  seems  to  be 
broken,  for  which  I  am  devoutly  thankful. 

Later. — Just  back  from  my  first  ride  on  the  pony.  He  proves 
to  have  a  good  gait  and  I  am  well  satisfied  with  that.  Now  if 
he  can  add  some  meat  to  his  ribs  and  hold  his  head  up  and  put 
on  a  smart  appearance,  I  shall  feel  that  I  have  made  a  good 
bargain. 

June  i8th. — Have  had  a  most  delightful  and  unusual  day. 
Wang  Chao,  one  of  the  exiled  reformers  of  1898,  invited  me  to 
dine  with  Shen  Ta  Jen,  an  officer  of  the  Agriculture  and  Com- 
mercial Office,  at  the  latter's  office.  He  is  a  rich  man  as  well 
as  an  official.  He  has  refused  office  for  years,  but  came  at  the 
order  of  Tsai  Chen,  and  is  making  a  success  of  it.  He  has  six 
fine  sons,  and  one  of  them  came  to  the  feast,  as  fine  a  specimen 
of  an  intelligent,  modest  man,  as  I  ever  saw.  His  ability  is 
shown  in  his  beating  Wang  Chao  at  chess. 

328 


NEW  HOPES  329 

The  feast  surpassed  any  I  ever  saw  in  China.  The  great 
man  was  most  polite  and  invited  us  to  our  seats  in  a  way  which 
saved  the  usual  confusion.  He  took  the  wine  cup  and  put  it 
at  a  plate  and  then  came  to  the  one  who  was  to  sit  there  and 
made  a  salaam,  and  that  was  the  end  of  it.  No  one  could  re- 
fuse. One  plate  at  a  time  came  in,  and  everybody  was  well 
filled  before  the  last  plate  came.  After  the  feast  we  all  went  to 
the  new  zoological  gardens  outside  the  northwest  gate,  and  a 
surprise  met  us.  Here  is  an  agricultural  farm  of  2,500  mu, 
of  land  and  things  well  developed.  Water  is  brought  in  from 
''Black  Dragon"  Spring,  and  a  little  river  runs  through  the 
grounds.  A  lotus  pond  is  there  and  other  things.  The 
animals  include  lions,  tigers,  zebras,  monkeys,  aquatic  birds, 
wild  boar,  kangaroo,  all  cared  for  by  two  Germans,  who  have 
insured  the  animals  for  a  year.  It  may  be  opened  this  fall  by 
the  sale  of  tickets.  It  will  furnish  a  fine  outlet  for  the  people 
of  Peking,  and  be  most  instructive. 


Pekingy  June  24.^  igo'j. 
To  THE  Same  : 

Monday  turns  out  to  be  a  hot  day  and  it  grieves  me  to 
see  twelve  little  and  big  lads,  schoolboys,  setting  out  for  Nan 
Meng  in  this  sun.  I  was  to  buy  their  tickets  as  far  as  Huang 
Tsun,  when  I  found  to  my  dismay  that  the  morning  train  did 
not  stop  there.  So  the  little  fellows  shouldered  their  bags  and 
started  off,  with  two  dollars  extra,  and  they  were  not  happy 
because  it  was  not  more.  What  is  to  be  the  solution  of  this 
money  question?  Here  these  boys  have  been  fed  at  the 
church's  expense  for  a  year  or  so,  and  having  received  what  I 
consider  a  fair  sum,  they  go  off  growling  and  think  the  pastor 
stingy !  I  am  very  sorry  not  to  satisfy  them,  but  they  may 
drive  me  to  do  nothing  at  all  for  them  and  to  let  them  get 
along  as  best  they  can. 

Yesterday,  Dr.  Fries  spoke  for  us.  He  is  chairman  of  the 
World's  Students'  Federation  and  lives  in  Stockholm,  and 
seems  to  speak  any  language  wanted.  His  wife  is  an  English 
woman  born  in  Sweden,  and  a  very  delightful  lady.  She  is 
with  him  here,  and  is  now  writing  letters  in  my  room.  Our 
house  is  delightfully  cool  this  year. 

The  Chinese  are  holding  a  meeting  in  the  interest  of  inde- 
pendence and  may  ask  the  throne  for  protection  as  an  inde- 


330  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

pendent  society.  This  does  not  mean  to  cut  loose  from  for- 
eigners, but  will  be  an  outlet  for  their  energies  and  may  even- 
tuate in  a  native  church,  for  which  I  should  be  devoutly  thank- 
ful. They  are  all  inquiring  what  constitutes  a  church  and  are 
anxious  to  get  the  church  on  secure  foundations. 

This  p.  M.,  Dr.  Fries  spoke  in  English  on  Paul's  Visions. 
He  has  given  me  much  valuable  information  on  Finnish,  Rus- 
sian, Swedish  and  Norwegian  affairs.  All  the  London  Mission 
are  going  to  the  hills.  The  shore  does  not  seem  so  popular, 
partly  on  account  of  the  expense. 

I  want  to  take  a  run  to  Liang  Hsiang  and  stay  over  Sunday. 
I  have  a  liking  for  old  Pu  An  Tun  with  all  its  failings.  They 
are  out  of  the  woods — so  far  as  the  Roman  Catholics  are  con- 
cerned. Their  school  is  the  only  one  in  town.  Our  little  sum- 
mer school  starts  in  with  six  boys.  There  will  be  more  later. 
After  next  Sunday,  I  will  either  take  a  trip  to  the  country  or  go 
to  Pei  Tai  Ho.  I  want  to  leave  the  city.  Our  engine  is  run- 
ning as  never  before.  Water  is  needed.  Street  wells  are  dry- 
ing. It  is  never  too  hot  to  read  your  letters,  or  to  write  to 
you.     God  bless  you.     Good-bye. 

William. 

Pei  Tai  Ho,  last  day  of  July  j  igoj. 
Dear  Mary: 

It  is  delightful  to  be  once  more  in  the  httle  house  by  the 
sea.  The  air  is  very  damp  and  my  bed  last  night  seemed  full 
of  water.  First  plunge  a  genuine  delight.  A  good  many  peo- 
ple were  there  and  we  had  the  fun  of  seeing  a  battle  between 
Gailey  and  Robertson,  two  giants.  They  were  like  two  whales 
and  full  of  fun  as  the  rest  of  us. 

Friday  evening. — <'  Federation."  A  good  two  days'  meet- 
ing. People  very  harmonious.  Adopted  the  terms  Shang  Ti 
and  Sheng  Ling.  Some  dissatisfaction  with  the  Union  Hymn- 
Book  and  will  defer  its  acceptance.  Will  elect  delegates  to  the 
National  Council — in  America.  Much  dissatisfaction  with 
Bible  selling  as  at  present  conducted. 

I  had  a  tough  time  to-day  battling  with  the  waves  which  were 
high  and  were  sweeping  me  towards  the  rocks.  I  called  for 
help  and  two  young  men  pushed  me  a  life  preserver.  Sad  news 
of  drowning  of  Seabury,  a  Yale  man,  at  Kuling.  Also  Mr. 
Mann  of  the  St.  John's  College.  Mr.  Beach  is  sadly  grieved 
over  the  loss  to  Yale  Mission. 


NEW  HOPES  331 

From,  a  report  in  the  Sliaugliai  papers  we  cull  the  fol- 
lowing additions  to  the  brief  mention  by  Dr.  Ament. 

^^  Mission  Federation. — An  important  step  towards  the 
realization  of  the  general  desire  for  federation  in  mission 
work  was  taken  by  the  holding  of  the  first  meeting  of  the 
Chih  Li  Provincial  Council  at  Pei  Tai  Ho  August  lst-2d. 
Delegates  from  seven  missions  were  present.  It  was 
resolved  that  the  Provincial  Council  accepts  for  this 
province  the  new  terms  for  God  and  Spirit,  Shang  Ti  and 
Sheng  Ling." 

The  autumn  work  of  the  Peking  station  began  with  full 
vigor  on  the  return  of  the  missionaries  from  the  seaside 
resort.  The  impulse  of  the  Shanghai  Conference  was  felt 
very  deeply  and  the  hope  for  a  large  extension  of  Chris- 
tian education  and  evangelism  in  the  empire  was  greater 
than  hitherto.  To  do  his  share  of  the  work  in  a  coura- 
geous and  effective  way  was  the  renewed  purpose  of  Dr. 
Ament.  While  the  carrying  forward  of  such  work  must 
be  much  the  same  from  season  to  season,  yet  there  are  al- 
ways distinctive  indications  and  signs  of  happy  progress. 
The  long  touring  of  the  autumn  fell  to  Mr.  Stelle,  as  well 
as  the  brief  tours  to  the  near  out-stations.  In  summing 
up  the  work,  Dr.  Ament  reports  that  for  the  first  time  in 
the  history  of  the  station  all  the  out-stations  are  well  pro- 
vided with  buildings  and  preachers. 

The  street  chapel  work,  which  came  especially  to  Dr. 
Ament,  filled  his  heart  and  life.  There,  he  says,  **  we 
come  in  contact  with  the  outside  world  and  gather 
recruits  for  the  kingdom.  The  secret  of  success  is  per- 
sistence and  love  which  faints  not  at  discouragements." 

The  popular  lectures  which  now  for  three  years  had  be- 
come a  settled  part  of  his  work  were  held  weekly,  with  an 
attendance  varying  from  one  to  several  hundreds.  It  is 
noted  that  a  new  constituency  had  been  developed  by  these 
lectures,  the  church- members  taking  little  interest  in 


332  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

them  and  feeling  less  responsibility  for  them.  Evidently 
this  form  of  reaching  a  new  set  of  listeners  had  been  very 
helpful  in  implanting  new  ideas  and  arousing  thought 
along  scientific  and  more  universal  lines.  It  was  a  task 
to  keep  these  lectures  in  running  order  and  to  make  them 
duly  effective.  Lectures  for  women  were  kept  up  at  the 
North  Chapel  by  the  ladies  of  the  station,  as  a  means  for 
opening  the  doors  wider  for  access  to  the  homes  of  the 
people.  Teachers  of  outside  schools  and  the  pupils  were 
invited  and  good  response  was  made  to  such  invitations. 
Thus  the  circle  of  friendship  was  steadily  enlarging,  and 
the  way  preparing  for  sowing  the  gospel  seed  in  many 
hearts. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  developments  of  the  year, 
which  while  not  in  Dr.  Ament's  charge  elicited  his  most 
hearty  interest,  was  the  plan  of  the  pastor  of  the  North 
Church  to  secure  a  representative  meeting  of  all  Chris- 
tians in  the  city.  The  idea  had  occurred  that  standing 
alone  on  the  universally  accepted  truths  a  meeting  might 
be  called  at  the  New  Year  holidays,  with  representatives 
from  the  three  great  communions,  Protestant,  Greek  and 
Eoman  Catholic.  Pastor  Jen  developed  the  idea  with 
great  tact  and  persistence.  He  called  personally  on  each 
of  the  leaders  in  the  churches  of  all  Christian  sects.  A 
surprising  spirit  of  harmony  and  willingness  to  unite  in 
mutual  ceremonies  was  evident,  if  features  objectionable 
to  any  might  be  eliminated.  The  program  was  arranged 
for  the  11th  of  the  first  moon— February  12th.  The 
church  at  our  mission  compound  was  filled  with  a  com- 
pany of  believers,  such  as  could  seldom  be  gathered  to- 
gether. Fourteen  religious  bodies  were  represented,  in- 
cluding the  Anglican  and  the  Greek.  Congratulatory  ad- 
dresses were  made  and  formal  Chinese  salutations  offered 
by  each  to  each,  and  by  all  to  each.  It  was  a  delightful 
occasion  and  the  Christians  of  the  capital  felt  for  the  first 


NORTH  CHURCH 
MEMORIAL  SCHOOL 


NEW  HOPES  833 

time  perhaps  a  real  unity  in  the  Spirit  and  the  bond  of 
peace.  Each  body  brought  its  written  or  printed  New 
Year's  cards  of  congratulation  to  exchange  with  all  the 
others.  Many  of  these  were  subsequently  framed  for  pres- 
ervation and  hung  upon  the  church  walls  as  a  memento 
of  the  fraternal  spirit  of  Christianity,  which  now  seemed 
to  be  pervasive  in  the  great  city,  —a  happy  omen  of  the 
time  when  large  numbers  should  feel  the  sense  of  glad 
fellowship  in  the  service  of  a  common  Lord. 

While  it  would  thus  appear  that  North  China  was 
opeinng  to  the  Gospel,  the  attitude  of  the  high  authori- 
ties still  called  for  care  in  the  presentation  of  the  word  of 
faith.  Dr.  Ament  sums  up  the  situation  in  his  annual 
report  with  the  observation  :  **  The  situation  calls  for  the 
missionary  who  will  grapple  first  of  all  with  the  common 
man  and  leave  converts  by  the  million  from  the  higher 
classes  to  the  realm  of  dreams.  Hard  individual  work  is 
the  order  of  the  day.  Eeforms  are  in  the  air,  but  most  of 
them  may  result  in  deformity  unless  duly  guided. 

*'  There  is  therefore  more  call  than  ever  for  the  preach- 
ing of  the  old  Gospel  which  still  means  :  ^  Peace  on  earth 
to  men  of  good  will.'  " 

April  4th. 
The  city  has  been  troubled  by  nine  fires  breaking  out  in  dif- 
ferent places,  one  being  the  exposition  building.  The  Empress 
Dowager  has  ordered  water  to  be  brought  or  secured  near  the 
fire  stations.  I  think  there  will  be  some  improvement  in  that 
line.  Some  attribute  the  fires  to  revolutionists,  but  I  think  that 
doubtful.  To-day  we  had  dinner  with  the  Duchess.  It  was  a 
fine  affair.  I  was  hungry  and  enjoyed  the  whole  repast.  Out- 
door sleeping  keeps  me  hungrier  than  ever  before  in  the  spring. 
I  sleep  more  and  eat  more  and  do  not  seem  to  get  tired.  Had 
a  splendid  preach  to-day,  after  five  o'clock.  The  Duchess's 
eldest  son  will  go  into  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  class.  I  shall  go  and 
introduce  him  next  Monday.  American  soldiers  are  the 
teachers.  Ever  your  affectionate 

William. 


334  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Peking  y  April  9,  igo8. 
My  dear  Mary  : 

Your  letter  of  March  8th  is  at  hand.  I  was  interested 
in  all  the  bunch  of  news.  Mrs.  Hicks  is  here  and  Mr.  Hicks 
may  arrive  next  week.  I  shall  hope  so,  as  we  expect  to  hold 
daily  meetings  through  Passion  Week  and  would  like  some  help 
from  him. 

To-night  we  had  a  lecture  on  gambling  from  a  man  in  the 
Theological  Seminary,  who  used  to  be  a  professional  in  Tung- 
chow,  but  is  now  studying  for  the  ministry.  If  he  can  preach 
as  well  as  he  can  talk  on  gambling  he  will  be  sure  of  success. 
The  Stelles  leave  day  after  to-morrow.  It  seems  as  though  the 
largest  part  of  the  station  was  to  go. 

There  has  been  a  panic  in  the  city  over  fires.  There  have 
been  twenty-five  fires  in  different  parts  of  the  city.  We  had  a 
lighted  lamp  thrown  into  the  kindergarten  building,  but  it 
fortunately  went  out  and  no  harm  was  done.  The  fire  fiends 
are  about. 

Pekingy  April  15,  igo8. 
My  dear  Mary  : 

The  Passion  Week  is  rapidly  slipping  into  history.  Our 
meetings  have  been  well  attended  and  to-day  Pastor  Jen  led  a 
beautiful  meeting  on  the  general  topic,  "  The  Master  hath  need 
of  you."  At  the  North  Church  yesterday  Mr.  Kastler  con- 
ducted a  fine  meeting.  While  we  did  not  have  any  remarkable 
developments,  as  in  Manchuria,  I  must  believe  these  meetings 
are  helping  on  the  spiritual  life  of  the  church  and  must  educate 
in  the  best  things.  To-morrow  we  have  communion  in  mid- 
week for  the  first  time.  I  think  it  will  be  well  for  us  all. 
There  should  be  nothing  formal  in  the  communion  service  and 
it  should  fall  when  hearts  are  ready  for  it,  and  if  ever  people  are 
ready  for  it,  it  should  be  in  Passion  Week. 

My  little  book,  '<The  Passion  Week,"  by  Drs.  Strong  and 
Barton,  of  Oak  Park,  has  passed  the  committee  and  will  be 
printed,  but  not  in  time  for  this  year's  services.  Miss  Miner 
and  other  ladies  had  a  cold  time  at  the  '^Ch'uan  Hsi  So," 
where  the  native  ladies  teaching  in  the  city  schools  invited 
them  to-day.  Miss  Reed  helped  in  the  lectures,  a  new  thing 
for  her.     It  seems  very  pleasant  to  get  back  into  the  big  church. 

The  '*  Little  Book,'^  to  which  Dr.  Ament  in  his  letter 
refers  03  having  passed  the  committee  of  the  Tract 


NEW  HOPES  335 

Society,  was  the  last  section  of  the  admirable  little 
booklet  prepared  by  the  pastors  of  Oak  Park,  Illinois, 
*'His  Life."  It  was  issued  in  Chinese  by  the  15'orth 
China  Tract  Society,  in  time  for  the  Passion  "Week  of  the 
following  year,  under  its  title,  *'The  Last  Week.'^  A 
copy  was  sent  to  Oak  Park,  to  which  the  following  is  a 
reply. 

The  First  Congregational  Churchy 
Oak  Parky  Illinois,  May  20,  igog. 
My  dear  Miss  Porter: 

You  were  good  enough  to  say  that  I  need  not  answer 
your  letter  of  the  19th  of  April,  which  accompanies  the 
Chinese  edition  of  "  His  Last  Week."     But  I  must  write. 

I  am  deeply  grateful  for  the  booklet  and  the  letter,  and  I  am 
more  interested  in  this  matter  than  I  can  make  you  understand. 
This  booklet,  "  His  Life,"  grew  out  of  our  church  life  in  Oak 
Park.  It  has  gone  in  a  wonderful  way  around  the  world  and 
we  have  no  little  evidence  of  the  good  it  has  done  and  I  hope 
the  good  will  be  multiplied.  Among  all  the  tokens  that  have 
reached  us  from  many  lands,  there  is  no  one  that  touches  me 
so  deeply  as  this,  the  last  literary  work  of  my  friend.  Dr. 
Ament.  I  am  deeply  grateful  that  we  could  grasp  hands 
across  the  sea  in  this  far-away  collaboration.  I  shall  prize  the 
little  book  which  I  cannot  read,  and  cherish  it  with  a  peculiar 
interest.  And  year  by  year  as  Easter  approaches,  it  will  be  a 
pleasant  thought  that  we  are  following  the  same  lessons  with 
you  in  China. 

I  thank  you  very  heartily  for  sending  me  this  most  interest- 
ing booklet  and  memorial  of  my  friend.  Dr.  Ament. 

Yours  very  truly, 

William  E.  Barton. 

Peking,  April  ig,  igo8. 
Glad  Easter  Day.  This  is  a  beautiful  day  and  I  trust 
we  shall  not  lose  the  spirit  of  the  day  by  any  anticipations  of 
evil  or  present  discomforts.  We  had  a  fine  congregation  and 
service  this  a.  m.  The  girls  sang  "Halleluiah,"  and  Mr. 
Hicks  gave  a  good  talk.  He  was  born  at  Oberlin,  but  gradu- 
ated at  Cornell.  Seven  were  received  into  the  church  and 
eight  taken  in  pn  probation,^   fii^oi^g  them  your  little  girl 


336  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Kuei  Lan.  It  was  quite  a  step  for  her.  The  visitors  seemed 
to  admire  our  church  exceedingly.  Mr.  Hicks  says  it  stayed  in 
his  mind  as  a  beautiful  dream.  Mr.  Hicks  takes  good  in- 
teriors and  has  some  pictures  of  inner  life  and  mission  work  at 
Fuchow.  It  is  a  new  feature.  To-morrow  we  take  a  short 
run  down  to  Chang  Hsin  Tien  and  return  at  noon.  I  am  to 
inspect  new  buildings  there. 

Nine  p.  m. — Just  back  from  the  North  Church.  Had  a 
good  turnout  and  some  of  the  schoolboys  followed  us  out. 
The  schools  are  in  a  good  condition  and  Mr.  Hicks  was  much 
pleased  with  the  outlook.  Forty  girls  are  in  the  memorial 
school,  and  more  are  applying  for  admission.  The  new  room 
is  very  comfortable  for  meeting  purposes  and  the  whole  place 
is  well  equipped  for  work.  Pastor  Wang  is  fat  and  healthy 
and  doing  good  work  at  Nan  Meng. 

As  to  believing  the  Bible.  Modern  criticism  clarifies  the 
Bible  and  brings  out  all  its  beauties  and  does  away  with  many 
old  fables  and  explanations  which  people  do  not  accept  and 
yet  are  not  heretics.  Do  not  allow  Will  to  take  interpretations 
for  the  Bible.  Let  him  get  the  spirit  of  the  Old  Book  and  he 
can  do  away  with  the  whale,  the  floating  axe  and  speaking 
donkey,  if  he  wishes,  but  the  Bible  is  still  God's  Book. 

Your 

William. 


Between  the  writing  of  the  above  letter  and  the  follow- 
ing Madam  Ament  passed  away  at  Oberlin.  A  sudden 
attack  of  pneumonia  had,  as  so  often  with  others,  carried 
her  away  in  haste.  She  had  already  passed  her  ninetieth 
year,  and  was  in  great  hopes  that  she  might  live  to  see 
her  dear  son  once  more.  This  was  denied  to  them  both, 
nor  could  they  have  looked  forward  to  the  reunion  in  the 
Land  of  Light. 

The  funeral  of  the  aged  mother  was  duly  arranged  for 
at  Owosso,  to  which  home  she  was  carried  to  be  laid  at 
rest  with  the  friends  of  a  lifetime  who  had  preceded  her. 
The  release  from  the  care  of  the  aged  saint  made  it  at 
once  possible  for  Mrs.  Ament  to  prepare  for  an  early 
return  to  her  husband.     All  of  these  matters  are  briefly 


NEW  HOPES  337 

touched  upon  in  the  following  letter,  written  after  re- 
ceiving the  cabled  message  announcing  the  death  of  his 
mother. 

Peking^  April  26,  igo8. 
My  dear  Mary: 

I  am  thinking  of  you  all  the  time.  What  are  you 
doing  just  now?  I  am  thinking  of  my  dear  old  mother  and 
wonder  if  her  last  hours  were  pleasant  or  painful.  I  was  glad 
that  in  your  last  letter  you  speak  of  her  having  received  two 
letters  from  me  and  that  they  comforted  her.  That  was 
unspeakably  good  news.  I  am  sure  mother  would  feel  that  all 
loved  and  honored  her.  As  to  future  plans,  you  will  do  the 
best  you  can.  If  you  can  make  good  arrangements  about  the 
house,  I  have  no  doubt  you  will  be  out  here  so  as  to  spend  a 
month  or  so  at  Pei  Tai  Ho.  Our  Sunday  here  passed  off  nicely 
with  a  good  congregation  and  Sunday-school. 

I  wonder  how  you  got  on  with  the  funeral.  I  feel  sorry  that 
these  burdens  should  fall  on  your  dear  shoulders.  Would  that 
mother  might  have  lived  till  I  returned.  Doubtless  the  death 
of  Aunt  Julia  weighed  upon  her  heavily. 

Our  new  building  is  moving  in  space  and  bids  fair  to  add  to 
the  symmetry  of  the  grounds.  (Reference  is  made  to  the 
parish  house,  or  prayer  room,  built  on  the  east  side  of  the 
church,  north  of  Dr.  Ament's  house.)  Sir  Robert  Hart  got  off 
in  a  halo  of  glory.  Every  day  will  now  bring  you  nearer,  not 
months  as  before.  That  is  a  silver  lining  as  Mrs.  Hicks  said. 
Keep  up  good  courage — dear  heart. 


Andover  Theological  Seminary  has  always  been  noted 
for  the  high  character  of  the  many  missionaries  she  has 
sent  abroad.  The  class  of  1877  was  not  behind  any  of  its 
predecessors  in  its  missionary  elements.  Cary  and  Pettee 
have  distinguished  themselves  in  Japan,  Christie  in 
Turkey,  and  Ament  and  Eoberts  in  China  have  records 
of  the  highest  service.  In  the  following  class,  1878, 
J.  P.  Jones,  of  India,  stands  abreast  of  his  fellows  in 
length  of  service  and  wisdom  in  carrying  it  forward. 

The  following  letter  needs  no  other  introduction. 


338  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Peking^  June  2^,  igo8. 
My  dear  Jones  : 

It  was  very  good  of  you  to  remember  me  again.  I  had 
not  forgotten  you,  though  defects  m  my  correspondence  might 
seem  to  suggest  it.  Especially  did  I  think  of  you  after  I  heard 
of  the  death  of  your  dear  boy  who  was  taken  in  such  an 
unexpected  way.  (Dr.  Jones'  son  was  crushed  in  the  falling 
in  of  a  cave  near  Oberlin,  in  which  he  and  his  companions  had 
been  playing.  He  alone  did  not  escape.)  I  felt  deeply 
grieved,  as  I  know  the  sadness  of  such  partings.  You  have  a 
group  of  beautiful  children  who  are  a  joy  and  comfort  to  you, 
while  we  have  only  one  boy  of  our  quartette.  We  have  still 
abundant  mercies  to  be  thankful  for  and  these  events,  seem- 
ingly so  sad,  may  usher  in  a  better  day  for  us  on  all  sides. 
Our  memorial  school,  founded  in  memory  of  our  Emily,  is 
most  flourishing.  It  overflows  with  girls  and  has  an  excellent 
reputation  and  is  quite  a  model  for  native  schools  in  that 
region  of  the  city.  My  most  recent  grief  was  the  passing  away 
of  my  dear  old  mother,  just  ninety  years  of  age.  Of  course 
she  had  measured  the  full  span  of  her  days,  but  I  did  long  to 
see  her  once  more  and  her  last  request  was  that  I  might  come 
home.  I  had  expected  that  she  might  round  out  the  century, 
as  she  had  a  fine  constitution  and  few  chronic  ailments,  but 
her  ambition  to  do  something  took  her  to  a  cold  room  in  the 
spring  and  her  cold  developed  into  pneumonia.  The  silver 
lining  is  that  her  release  makes  it  possible  for  my  wife  to  return 
to  China.  I  shall  look  for  her  just  as  soon  as  she  is  rested  up 
and  has  made  arrangements  about  the  house. 

It  is  really  difficult  to  see  beneath  the  surface  in  this  old 
empire.  It  is  an  art  to  feel  the  pulse  of  the  nation.  I  make 
no  claims  to  proficiency  in  that  regard  and  do  not  write  half  as 
much  as  I  did  many  years  ago,  as  1  have  learned  the  ease  of 
making  mistakes  and  perhaps  hanging  one's  head  in  shame  and 
humiliation  almost  before  the  ink  is  cold.  Under  ground 
China  is  deeper  than  the  ken  of  a  foreigner. 

Our  work  is  growing,  despite  weak  oversight.  My  col- 
league is  in  the  United  States  and  I  am  alone,  with  the  Tract 
Society,  two  Bible  societies  (American  and  Scotch),  twenty- 
three  stations,  teachers,  general  and  public  duties  as  a  **  vet- 
eran," pastor  of  a  large  church  and  now  last  of  all  in  this  hot 
weather  our  **  young  theological  seminary,"  of  about  one  hun- 
dred   men    from   the   out-stations  of  the  four  missions  who 


< 

Q 
< 

•— ^ 
o 


NEW  HOPES  339 

are    engaged   in   union   summer  work,   calls   me  to   do  my 
best 

In  imperial  affairs  the  very  hopelessness  of  the  situation  may 
drive  the  best  men  to  think  of  Christianity  as  a  solution.  Even 
now  a  few  open-minded  men  say  there  is  no  hope  for  the  coun- 
try except  in  a  new  religion.  Most  people  are  away  at  Pei 
Tai  Ho,  our  seaside  resort,  and  I  shall  hope  to  be  there  m 

August. 

Yours  cordially, 

W.  S.  Ament. 


Why  dost  thou  glare  so  fierce, 
O  Death,  as  thou  would 'st  pierce 

With  thy  uplifted  dart 
My  sinking  heart  ? 

Though  men  thy  pity  crave, 

Though  naught  from  thee  can  save, 
Thy  Master  rules  above, 

Thou  servest  Love. 

— Dodge. 


XXY 

ILLNESS  AND  DEATH 

THE  annual  meeting  of  the  mission  was  held  at 
Tung-chow  June  6th-14th,  preceded  by  the  usual 
meeting  with  the  native  helpers.  The  closing 
session  of  the  latter  coincided  with  the  first  Sunday  of 
the  annual  meeting.  It  fell  to  Dr.  Ament  to  preach  the 
morning  sermon  in  Chinese,  from  the  text,  Luke  xix.  34, 
^'  The  Lord  hath  need  of  him." 

The  report  of  the  Peking  station  for  1908  was  also  his 
recording,  especially  the  tour  of  the  month  of  May,  a 
journey  of  five  hundred  miles  inclusive.  Fourteen  out- 
stations  had  been  visited.  There  were  advances  in  many 
places  encouraging  to  the  heart  of  a  missionary.  At 
Chang  Hsin  Tien  a  boys^  school  with  twenty  members 
had  been  started  ;  at  Fang  Shan  a  new  street  chapel  had 
been  secured.  The  year  had  been  one  of  expenditure 
which  need  not  be  repeated.  All  of  the  stations  were 
now  provided  with  buildings  and  preachers.  The  Home 
Missionary  Society  had  entered  upon  a  third  year  of 
hopeful  effort.  Its  annual  meeting  had  been  held  at 
Shun  Yi,  with  one  hundred  delegates  present.  A  beauti- 
ful spirit  of  harmony  was  evidently  present. 

The  growth  of  the  boys^  school  in  Peking  was  en- 
340 


ILLNESS  AND  DEATH  341 

couragiDg.  Fifty  pupils  were  gathered,  with  two 
teachers  who  were  college  graduates.  The  report  closes 
with  the  remark;  *'Hard  individual  effort  is  the  order 
of  the  day,  though  the  allurements  to  fancy  methods  may 
seem  attractive.  The  situation  calls  for  the  missionary 
who  will  grapple  first  of  all  with  the  common  man. 
More  than  ever  the  preaching  of  the  old  Gospel  is 
needed,  which  means  'Peace  on  Earth.'"  The  report 
of  the  Emily  Ament  Memorial  School,  so  dear  to  him, 
was  hopeful.  ''The  possibilities  of  this  school  are  more 
than  we  can  overtake.  Two  teachers  are  employed. 
There  are  twenty-one  boarders,  with  an  attendance  of 
forty  in  all.''  The  enrollment  in  the  woman's  college 
was  ninety-four.  These  formed  a  considerable  part  of 
his  regular  Sunday  congregation. 

The  friends  attending  the  mission  meeting  noticed  that 
Dr.  Ament  was  much  worn  by  the  long  tour.  The  death 
of  his  aged  mother  undoubtedly  affected  him  deeply.  In 
his  public  addresses  there  was  an  added  depth  and  ten- 
derness and  a  quickened  grasp  upon  the  life  beyond. 
The  prospective  coming  of  Mrs.  Ament  served  to  buoy 
him  up  and  bring  back  his  former  resiliency. 

Eeturning  to  Peking,  for  a  month  or  more,  in  addition 
to  his  regular  work — the  daily  and  weekly  service  in 
Street  Chapel  and  Sunday  preaching — there  was  held  a 
"Summer  School  "  for  the  training  of  the  less  educated 
helpers  and  deacons  from  the  country  stations  of  several 
missions.  The  sessions  were  held  in  the  rooms  of  the 
Union  Theological  College,  at  the  Presbyterian  Mission. 
There  were  assembled  for  the  special  study  of  the  Scrip- 
tures not  far  from  one  hundred  workers,  eager  for  the 
instruction  of  several  foreign  pastors.  The  work  was  a 
union  work  and  of  large  interest  to  all.  This  daily  work, 
including  the  ride  in  the  hot  sun  of  a  mile  or  two,  was  a 
manifest  strain,  evident  to  those  who  saw  him  now.     His 


342  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

pupils,  long  after,  recalled  that  in  the  class  room,  while 
listening  to  answers  to  his  questions,  he  would  drop  into 
a  semi-doze. 

It  was  therefore  with  special  joy  that  he  went  to  the 
seaside  for  rest,  expecting  to  spend  but  a  few  days  before 
going  to  Japan  to  meet  his  wife.  He  arrived  at  the  sea- 
side home  on  the  23d  of  July.  The  first  word  from  there 
was  that  Dr.  Ament  was  like  a  boy  in  his  enjoyment  of 
the  change  and  that  he  was  very  well.  Who  could  pre- 
dict the  sudden  onset  of  the  struggle  before  him  ? 

The  day  following  his  arrival  he  played  tennis  in  a 
most  vigorous  way,  until  suddenly  his  arm  gave  out. 
Fatigued  by  the  exercise  he  lay  down  and  slept.  On 
awaking  he  found  his  neck  stiff  on  the  right  side.  On 
the  27th  he  was  able  to  watch  a  game  of  baseball.  The 
following  day  he  suffered  from  much  rheumatic  pain, 
along  the  course  of  the  clavicle,  the  inner  portion  being 
hot  and  swollen.  From  this  time  on,  the  temperature 
slowly  increased,  the  pain  was  intense,  with  acute  suffer- 
ing if  the  shoulder  was  moved. 

On  the  3d  of  August,  Dr.  Young  decided  to  lance, 
since  the  temperature  was  at  104.5.  In  consultation  with 
Dr.  Gray  of  the  British  Legarion,  it  was  found  that  one 
of  the  ribs  was  affected.  Successive  operations  relieved 
the  septic  conditions  temporarily.  On  the  19th,  a  por- 
tion of  the  first  rib  was  removed.  The  care  of  the  sick 
one  was  most  assiduous  on  the  part  of  many  friends. 

Dr.  Ament  was  at  first  troubled  that  he  could  not 
join  his  wife  in  Japan.  She  had  sailed  from  Seattle, 
August  4th.  Arriving  at  Yokohama  on  the  19th  she 
first  heard  of  his  serious  illness.  She  arrived  at  Pei  Tai 
Ho  August  27th,  the  very  day  on  which  a  fourth  opera- 
tion had  become  necessary. 

From  this  point  the  patient  seemed  slowly  to  recover, 
and  by  September  16th  Dr.  Young  thought  his  patient 


ILLNESS  AND  DEATH  343 

out  of  danger.  During  the  slow  convalescence  of  the 
following  month,  he  was  watched  over  with  anxiety, 
although  the  deep  surgical  wounds  were  healing.  About 
the  middle  of  October  he  was  safely  removed  to  Peking, 
much  to  the  joy  of  the  native  Christians  and  others. 

Another  anxiety  now  presented  itself.  On  the  8th  of 
November  Dr.  Young  began  to  notice  pressure  on  the 
brain.  A  lady  writing  at  this  time  says  :  ''  Dr.  Ament's 
condition  seems  to  me  more  sad.  The  return  of  physical 
strength  brings  no  corresponding  mental  grasp.  Some- 
times he  rallies,  but  can  only  talk  in  short  and  simple 
sentences.  He  seems  conscious  of  his  own  condition  and 
has  a  sense  of  helplessness." 

The  condition  thus  presented  increased,  and  by  Novem- 
ber 16th  the  patient  failed  to  respond  intelligently  to 
questions,  and  there  was  a  slight  paralysis  of  the  face 
and  leg.  These  conditions  led  at  once  to  the  decision 
that  a  return  to  the  United  States  was  necessary.  It 
soon  became  evident  that  it  would  be  wise  for  some  one 
to  accompany  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Ament,  since  the  strain  of 
the  care  was  increasing.  Mr.  Lucius  C.  Porter,  who 
with  his  wife  had  arrived  but  a  month  previously  from 
America,  volunteered  for  this  service. 

The  party  left  Peking  on  the  24th  of  November,  Dr. 
Young  going  with  them  to  Shanghai.  They  went  by 
fast  train  to  Hankow,  and  thence  by  river  steamer  to 
Shanghai.  From  here  Dr.  Young  writes  briefly  to  Dr. 
Barton,  November  30th  :  ^'  So  far  as  I  can  make  out  the 
mental  condition  is  probably  due  to  abscess  of  the  brain. 
It  is  impossible  to  say  how  much  improvement  we  can 
hope  for.  While  we  feel  the  loss  so  great  of  Dr.  Ament's 
removal,  his  presence  in  a  state  of  physical  weakness 
would  be  no  less  a  source  of  anxiety.  Mrs.  Ament  has 
borne  wonderfully  the  terrific  strain  of  the  last  three 
months.'^ 


344  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

The  pathos  of  Dr.  Anient' s  departure  from  Peking 
under  such  sorrowful  conditions  was  well  expressed  in 
the  words  of  the  young  native  pastor,  who  was  at  once 
called  from  Cho  Chou  to  take  charge  of  work  in  Peking, 
Mr.  Li  Pen  Yuan  : 

"When  he  was  sickest,  he  could  not  bear  to  think  of 
leaving  for  America.  When  he  left,  unable  to  speak  as 
he  was,  he  wept  with  great  feeling,  loth  to  leave.  And 
when  the  railroad  train  was  about  to  leave,  his  two  eyes 
giized  longingly  at  the  church-members.  They  them- 
seJ /es  felt  that  this  unspeakable  loss  was  unendurable." 
On  the  Sunday  following  Dr.  Ament's  departure  this 
pastor  took  for  his  text,  "Barnabas  was  a  good  man." 
He  began  to  speak  of  the  good  man  who  had  left 
them.  He  spoke  with  a  full  heart  and  with  a  voice 
of  deep  emotion  of  Dr.  Ament's  strongest  character- 
istics, his  devotion  to  his  work  and  his  love  for  the 
people. 

"Why  was  it  that  when  he  was  carried  from  the 
mission  compound,  where  so  many  of  you  stood  in 
silence,  tears  stood  in  his  eyes  ?  Why  was  it  that  at  the 
railway  station  he  looked  at  us  with  so  much  sadness, 
when  he  could  not  say  a  word  of  farewell?  He  was 
thinking  of  the  church  he  was  leaving,  of  all  of  you  for 
whom  he  cared  so  tenderly.  He  has  carried  all  our 
burdens.  We  all  went  to  him  with  our  troubles  of  every 
kind,  and  he  never  turned  away.  It  was  because  he 
carried  these  loads  for  us  all,  and  we  helped  him  so 
little,  that  he  has  broken  down."  After  recounting  the 
story  of  the  reconstruction  period  already  fully  referred 
to,  he  added,  "In  all  of  the  missions  there  was  no  work 
which  was  reestablished  after  the  troubles  so  speedily 
and  on  such  a  good  basis  as  that  under  the  care  of 
Dr.  Ament.  Here  he  showed  his  administrative  ability 
as  well  as  his  love  for  the  people." 


ILLNESS  AND  DEATH  346 

Peking^  Nov.  2j,  igo8. 
From  Dr.  W.  A.  P.  Martin  : 

Dear  Mrs.  Ament  : — A  special  engagement  prevents 
me  from  going  to  the  train  to  see  you  and  Dr.  Ament  off  for 
America. 

He  is  one  of  the  great  missionaries,  and  we  all  trust  that 
with  God's  blessing  on  your  careful  nursing,  he  may  be  re- 
stored to  health  and  to  China.  Not  only  has  he  conducted 
with  rare  ability  the  growing  work  of  the  station  in  this  city, 
his  heroism  in  rescuing  the  Tung-chow  Mission  in  1900  belongs 
to  history.  His  character  and  achievements  have  won  for  him 
the  love  and  admiration  of  his  fellow  missionaries,  as  well  as 
the  whole  body  of  native  Christians  in  our  Protestant  churches 
at  this  capital.  Much  prayer  has  been  offered  on  his  behalf. 
May  it  please  the  Lord  of  the  Harvest  to  spare  him  to  gather 
in  many  sheaves  from  the  seed  he  has  sown  for  these  thirty 
years. 

Accept  for  him  and  for  yourself  my  affectionate  "bon  voy- 
age" and  *'au  revoir." 

Yours  sincerely, 

W.  A.  P.  Martin. 

Dr.  Martin  is  the  Nestor  of  the  China  missionaries,  com- 
pleting his  sixtieth  year  of  service,  1850-1910,  April  10th  ^ 
at  eighty-three. 

Peking,  Nov.  23d. 
From  J.  H.  Pyke,  American  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  : 
My  dear  Mrs.  Ament: — I  should  have  very  much 
liked  to  see  you  and  your  dear  husband  before  you  leave  and 
to  have  said  one  word  of  good-bye.  I  have  thought  of  you 
much  during  all  these  weeks  and  months  of  suffering  and 
watchfulness,  and  have  often  prayed  for  you  both.  I  have  not 
ventured  to  ask  to  see  Dr.  Ament,  hearing  from  time  to  time 
that  he  was  not  able  to  see  his  friends.  He  will  be  missed 
from  Peking.  He  was  carrying  so  many  lines  of  work  and 
such  heavy  burdens,  carrying  them  till  crushed  by  them,  yet 
never  sparing  himself,  always  so  cheerful,  brave  and  hopeful. 
I  want  you  to  know  that  my  thoughts,  sympathies  and  prayers 
are  with  you. 

Yours  most  truly, 

J.  H.  Pyke. 


346  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

Peking,  Nov.  23,  igo8. 
Dear  Mrs.  Ament  : 

I  wish  I  could  tell  you  how  much  Dr.  Ament  has  helped 
me  during  the  four  years  I  have  known  him.  Some  of  his 
prayers  I  shall  never  forget.  It  seems  as  if  I  can  hear  him 
to-night.  He  loved  to  pray,  and  it  seemed  as  if  God  stood  by 
him,  at  his  side,  and  the  many  great  interests  so  dear  to  both 
were  talked  over  together.  And  best  of  all  he  made  all  who 
heard  him  feel  that  God  was  present  and  the  tender,  loving 
Father  ever  gave  that  which  was  best  to  His  waiting  children. 

Your  loving  friend, 

Jessie  E.  Payne. 

The  cordial  harmony  between  our  mission  and  the 
American  Presbyterian  Mission  has  been  of  long  stand- 
ing. Mr.  Cunningham  expresses  the  intimate  regard  of 
one  family  of  workers  for  another. 


Peking,  Nov.  2j,  igo8. 
Mv  DEAR  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Ament  : 

I  do  not  know  how  to  write  you  at  such  a  time.  Your 
going  away,  while  we  trust  only  for  a  rest,  yet  has  something 
of  uncertainty  about  it,  and  our  hearts  are  very  sad.  We  feel 
that  you  have  a  great  place  impossible  to  fill  in  our  Peking  life. 
In  the  evangelistic  work,  in  English  church  and  prayer-meet- 
ing we  expected  and  always  got  something  good  from  you.  In 
the  Chinese  work,  few  if  any  ever  entered  so  fully  into  the 
fullness  of  the  missionary  life  as  you.  So  strong,  so  varied  in 
work,  so  sympathetic  with  all  that  tended  to  extend  the  king- 
dom of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  Then  in  the  home. 
How  can  I  speak  of  dear  Emily  and  our  daughter  Hope  !  Like 
sorrow  and  like  joy  have  tended  to  mould  into  likeness.  How 
many  bonds  of  union  there  are  !  These  cannot  be  broken. 
But  we  need  you  here  so  sorely.  At  such  a  time  as  this,  the 
past  thirty-one  years  of  light-bearing  here  in  this  dark  land 
must  be  a  great  comfort.  The  Lord  has  given  you  graciously 
to  see  that  He  has  established  the  work  of  your  hands.  Heathen 
officials,  students  and  business  men,  as  well  as  the  Christians 
of  all  the  churches  know,  honor,  and  have  felt  the  power  of 
Pastor  Ament.     Dear  friends,  we  with  many  other  friends  will 


ILLNESS  AND  DEATH  347 

follow  you  with  our  prayers.     God  has  been  mindful  of  you. 
He  will  bless  you. 

Ever  gratefully  yours, 

A.  M.  Cunningham. 

Mrs.  Ament  and  her  failing  patient,  with  the  aid  of  Mr. 
Porter,  left  Shanghai  on  the  Nippon  Maru,  December  1st. 
The  condition  of  Dr.  Ament  remained  much  the  same 
until  after  passing  Kobe,  Japan.  The  symptoms  now 
became  more  severe.  Mr.  Porter  wrote  to  his  father  from 
San  Francisco,  the  day  after  their  arrival : 

San  Francisco  J  Dec.  26,  igo8. 
We  got  in  yesterday  at  6  p.  m.     We  went  at  once  to  the 
Lane  Hospital  with  Dr.  Ament  in  an  ambulance.     Dr.  Moffat 
is  attending  him.     Dr.  Ament  has  been  in  a  stupor  much  of 
the  time  since  leaving  Yokohama. 

The  failing  strength  of  the  patient  made  a  suitable 
operation  impossible.  In  the  quietness  of  unconscious 
sleep  the  ardent  worker  and  lovable  friend  passed  away 
on  Wednesday,  January  6,  1909.  William  Ament  had 
arrived  to  meet  his  parents,  and  was  happily  present  at 
the  last. 

The  judgment  of  Dr.  Moffat  coincided  with  Dr.  Young's 
original  diagnosis.  An  abscess  of  the  brain,  resulting 
from  septic  conditions,  was  the  source  of  the  later  symp- 
toms and  disabilities.  Thus  it  was  that  the  long  struggle 
of  five  months  came  to  its  close.  A  gentler  than  human 
hand  stood  by  as  the  last  servitor.  The  angel,  Death, 
like  an  armor  bearer,  unclasped  the  harness  of  the  weary 
warrior,  who  had  so  long  been  as  he  often  said  * '  upon  the 
fire  line.''  The  call  to  that  higher  service  of  which  men 
dream  was  not  heard  by  human  ears.  The  one  who  un- 
clasped the  earthly  bond  must  have  whispered  in  his  ear 
and  the  joy  that  was  before  him  seemed  to  abide  upon  his 


3i8  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

face.  There  is  ever  a  majesty  in  death.  The  spirit  in  its 
departure  leaves  the  cold  frame  with  the  touch  of  a  skill- 
ful artist.  They  who  behold  discover  some  mystic  trans- 
formation, which  holds  them  in  awe.  The  potency  and 
prophecy  of  a  diviner  life  unfolds  itself.  Men  walk  with 
quiet  step  as  if  in  the  presence  of  that  large  world  where 
they  know  as  they  are  known.  And  those  who  are  near- 
est and  dearest  to  the  loved  one  who  has  gone  are  ready 
to  say,  '  *  This  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world. ' ' 
It  is  only  the  Christian  faith  that  can  feel  that  assurance. 


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Never  to  tire ;  never  grow  cold ;  to 
be  patient,  sympathetic,  tender;  to 
look  for  the  budding  flower  and  the 
opening  heart ;  hope  always ;  like  God 
to  love  always — that  is  duty. 

— Henri  Frkderic  Amiel. 


XXVI 


MEMORIAL  SERVICES  AND  TRIBUTES  TO  THE 
MEMORY  OF  DR.  AMENT 


M 


RS.  AMENT  and  her  son,  William  Sheffield 
Ament,  hastened  with  their  precious  charge, 

,  through  the  cold  days  of  early  January,  to 

Owosso.  There  a  city  full  of  sorrowing  friends  were 
to  commit  him  to  his  mortal  rest.  Less  than  a  year 
before  these  friends  had  committed  the  aged  mother  to 
her  rest,  little  thinking  they  would  be  called  so  soon  to  a 
like  sorrow  on  his  behalf. 

The  burial  service  was  held  in  the  Congregational 
Church  on  the  12th  of  January,  in  charge  of  the  Rev.  C. 
S.   Hanks,   for  many  years  the  pastor  of  the  church. 
There  was  a  peculiar  fitness  in  the  memorial  services 
that  followed.     Four  communities  upon  which  his  life 
and  work  had  had  a  special  influence  for  good  were  glad 
to  pay  their  loving  respects  to  his  precious  memory. 
The  church  at  Medina  held  their  service  upon  the  Sun- 
day following  his  interment  at  Owosso.     The  pastor. 
Dr.  Kirbye,  made  a  commemorative  address.    The  Dwight 
Place  Congregational  Church  in  New  Haven  held  their 
service  upon  the  same  day,  the  record  of  which  is  given 
later  in  the  appropriate  letter  from  the  clerk  of  the 
church.     Memorial    services  were    held  at   Owosso  on 
Sunday  the    17th  of  January.     The  last  and  in  some 
respect  the  most  significant  was  held  in  his  own  church 
in  Peking  on  Sunday,  February  14,  1909. 

349 


350  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

From  the  Owosso  Times  of  January  22d  we  select  a 
brief  account  of  the  services  in  his  native  city. 

The  members  of  the  Congregational  church  and  society  to- 
gether with  many  old  time  friends  gathered  at  the  church 
Sunday  evening  to  honor  the  memory  of  the  late  Dr.  William 
S.  Ament,  Owosso's  most  distinguished  son.  The  service  was 
deeply  impressive  throughout,  the  words  of  the  speakers  carry- 
ing a  lesson  to  all  which  will  not  soon  be  forgotten.  It  was 
indeed  a  fitting  memorial  to  a  man  who  was  loved  and  respected 
not  alone  by  the  people  of  Owosso,  but  by  hundreds  all  over 
the  country,  and  across  the  sea  where  he  gave  his  life  for  the 
cause  of  the  Master.  The  pastor,  Rev.  C.  S.  Hanks,  in  open- 
ing the  service  said  it  seemed  appropriate  that  the  service  should 
be  held  and  that  some  of  those  who  had  known  Dr.  Ament 
during  all  the  years  since  his  young  manhood  should  express 
their  appreciation  of  him.  Mr.  S.  E.  Parkhill  was  called  upon 
and  said :  "Of  all  who  called  Owosso  their  home,  he  knew  of 
none  who  left  his  impress  upon  more  of  the  boys,  his  play- 
mates, who  had  become  men  of  the  city  than  did  Dr.  Ament. 
Like  all  strong  personalities  he  was  quick  to  resent  an  injustice, 
to  defend  an  absent  friend,  and  the  propaganda  for  which  he 
spent  his  life." 

Mr.  J.  C.  Shattuck  was  introduced  as  having  been  present 
and  having  a  vivid  recollection  of  his  ordination.  "Will 
Ament  embodied  in  his  character  the  essential  elements  of  a 
successful  pioneer — -self- mastery,  boundless  energy,  courage, 
faith,  hope  and  charity.  He  possessed  a  wonderful  constructive 
imagination.  He  clearly  saw  the  great  work  he  was  afterwards 
to  perform.  He  never  waited  for  things  to  happen — he  made 
them  happen.  Difficulties  and  dangers  only  stimulated  him  to 
greater  and  more  determined  effort.  His  life  exemplifies  the 
power  of  an  idea.  Add  to  these  a  cultured  and  scholarly 
mind,  a  simple,  natural,  unaffected  personality,  a  nature  full 
and  overflowing  with  a  generous  love  for  mankind,  a  big  heart 
and  broad  in  sympathies,  a  devotion  to  duty  that  was  simply 
sublime  and  we  have  one  of  earth's  noble  men,  whom  all  the 
world  delights  to  honor."  To  the  foregoing  Dr.  Hanks  added 
his  meed  of  praise.  He  spoke  very  tenderly  of  the  love  and 
affection  which  Dr.  Ament  had  for  Owosso.  "Dr.  Ament  was 
a  great  lover,  and  his  life  and  work,  his  letters,  emphasize  the 
depth  of  his  love  and  the  sincerity  of  his  affection  for  those 


MEMORIAL  SERVICES  AND  TRIBUTES    351 

whom  he  held  dear. ' '  The  secular  and  the  religious  press  have 
praised  him  and  Dr.  Hanks  read  an  extract  from  a  long  edi- 
torial in  the  New  York  Tribune  upon  his  death. 

The  pastor  of  the  Medina  Church,  Dr.  J.  Edward  Kir- 
bye,  sent  as  his  share  in  these  memorial  services  a  sum- 
mary of  his  address  in  Medina  at  the  memorial  service 
there.  The  main  portion  of  that  address  will  be  found  in 
the  chapter,  ^'  A  Pastorate  in  America."  Dr.  Kirbye re- 
fers to  many  of  his  letters  and  their  hopeful  and  beautiful 
spirit.  He  closed  with  the  following  estimate  :  **When 
Michigan  enfolded  to  her  breast  the  silent  form  of  William 
S.  Ament,  she  received  one  of  her  noblest  and  best  sons. 
He  was  a  foreign  missionary  but  not  in  a  narrow  sense, — 
he  was  a  hero,  a  statesman  and  an  empire  builder.  The 
great  commonwealth  of  Michigan  never  gave  the  world  a 
man  with  more  heroism,  with  better  ideals  and  with  more 
ability  to  accomplish  large  tasks.  When  the  history  of 
modern  China  is  written,  he  will  have  a  place  with  the 
great  men  who  have  wrought  nobly  and  wisely  for  the  re- 
demption of  that  great  empire.  His  message  to  us  all 
would  be,  were  he  here,  '  China  must  be  converted  and 
we  must  all  do  our  share.  ^  " 

The  final  memorial  services  were  held  in  Peking,  also 
upon  a  Sabbath  day.  Two  services  were  held,  each  in 
the  beautiful  church  which  he  had  seen  erected  and  where 
he  had  taught  so  many  congregations  the  way  to  that 
eternal  life  upon  which  he  had  now  entered.  The  Chi- 
nese services  were  held  at  two  o^  clock,  followed  by  those 
for  the  foreign  residents  at  Peking  who  wished  to  honor 
their  companion  and  friend.  It  seems  appropriate  that 
extracts  from  the  little  pamphlet  issued  in  commemora- 
tion should  find  a  record  in  this  volume  also. 

The  service  in  Chinese  was  held  at  2  p.  m.     The  prin- 


352  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

cipal  address  was  by  Dr.  Sheffield.  The  English  service 
•was  held  at  4 :  30.  Dr.  Wilder,  of  Tung-chow,  gave  a 
full  estimate  of  Dr.  Ament's  life  and  character.  The  fol- 
lowing paragraphs  illustrate  the  kind  of  man  whom  his 
missionary  associates  admired  : 

His  work  was  in  the  main  strongly  evangelistic  and  pastoral. 
He  believed  in  the  new  birth  and  was  never  content  unless 
souls  were  being  born  into  the  kingdom  of  love  under  his  min- 
istry. A  preacher  by  birth  and  training,  a  good  speaker  of 
Chinese,  his  enthusiasm  for  preaching  to  the  heathen  was  deep 
and  abiding.  The  street  chapel  at  Teng  Shih  K'ou  never  had 
a  regular  paid  Chinese  preacher,  for  he  was  ready  to  devote 
his  afternoons  daily  to  it,  whenever  he  was  at  home.  His  ex- 
ample inspired  sufficient  voluntary  effort  by  the  native  Chris- 
tians to  keep  the  work  there  going  whether  he  was  present  or 
absent.  He  believed  in  a  ''  far  flung  battle  line  "  and  distant 
trips  to  the  country  fields.  With  a  statesman's  eye  he  seized 
on  strategic  centres  for  establishing  his  out-stations.  He  was 
unsparing  in  the  use  of  his  own  money  to  open  stations  when 
the  home  Board  was  unable  to  develop  new  work.  He  had  a 
knack  of  finding  the  influential  rich  man  of  a  given  town,  or 
the  local  bully  who  tyrannized  over  the  place,  or  the  scholar 
who  led  public  thought  and  by  winning  the  respect  of  these  he 
would  gain  an  open  door  for  the  Gospel.  In  these  things  he 
was  full  of  resources.  His  straightforward  nature  could  not 
abide  the  Chinese  custom  of  using  middlemen,  and  he  would 
often  astonish  friend  and  foe  alike  by  going  to  the  enemies  of 
the  Gospel  or  persecutors  of  the  Christians  and  settle  matters 
face  to  face.  While  mainly  engaged  in  evangelistic  eff'ort  he 
was  also  interested  in  other  forms  of  work.  He  believed  in 
Christian  education  for  the  Chinese.  He  was  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Peking  University  (Meth- 
odist) from  the  beginning  and  always  had  a  number  of  proteges 
in  the  college  of  his  own  mission  at  Tung-chow,  The  large 
part  he  took  in  developing  the  North  China  Tract  Society  and 
his  faithful  labors  for  that  organization  are  well  known.  He 
was  interested  in  the  work  for  the  higher  classes  and  by  reason 
of  his  knowledge  of  Chinese  literature,  etiquette  and  social 
forms,  he  was  able  to  enter  into  intercourse  with  them  and  to 
do  much  in  breaking  down  prejudices  in  higher  circles  and 


MEMORIAL  SERVICES  AND  TRIBUTES    353 

building  up  confidence  in  all  classes.  His  active  mind  was 
constantly  delving  in  the  stores  of  Chinese  history  and  literature. 
The  result  was  a  number  of  well  written  articles  and  many 
lectures  on  historic  themes.  He  early  saw  the  advantages  of 
the  Christian  Endeavor  Society  in  developing  the  infant  church 
and  is  known  as  the  ''  Father  of  Christian  Endeavor  in  China."  * 
This  great  field  is  the  enduring  memorial  to  Dr.  Anient. 
Everywhere  he  made  friends,  remembered  them  and  followed 
them  with  books  and  messages.  In  the  lowest  and  most  de- 
praved, he  saw  the  new  hope  of  life.  He  held  on  to  people 
when  others  had  given  them  up,  still  hoping  and  praying  for 
the  turn  to  a  better  life.  He  leaves  to  us  his  work  and  his 
splendid  example.     Let  us  live  as  he  lived. 

Let  us  turn  now  from  what  he  did  to  what  he  was.  Dr. 
Ament's  mind  was  prompt  in  action,  keen  in  memory,  well 
developed  in  imagination  and  poetic  faculties,  well  stored  with 
classic  literary  forms  and  historic  events.  These  qualities, 
combined  with  a  gift  for  expression,  made  him  a  ready  and 
fascinating  speaker.  He  depended  not  in  vain  on  his  fund  of 
information  and  on  the  inspiration  of  the  moment  to  produce 
attractive  and  convincing  sermons  and  addresses.  When  he 
squared  his  shoulders  and  threw  back  his  head  with  kindling 
eye,  his  audience  could  expect  a  mental  treat  and  moral  uplift. 

The  basic  element  in  all  his  lovable  and  admirable  qualities, 
as  well  as  the  secret  of  his  success  as  a  missionary,  can  be 
found  in  a  deep  conviction  of  the  reality  of  spiritual  things  and 
a  genuine  love  for  God  and  for  men.  He  was  deeply  religious, 
without  cant.  He  admired  the  mystics  among  religious  thinkers 
and  had  a  mystic  strain  in  his  nature,  tempered  by  a  strong 
sense  of  the  practical.  He  was  thoroughly  imbued  with  the 
doctrines  of  the  Oberlin  school  of  ethics  and  theology. 

From  Dr.  Sheffield's  address  we  may  extract  the  follow- 
ing : 

Dr.  Ament  had  well  rounded  out  thirty  years  of  constructive 
work  in  China,  and  he  has  made  a  mark  deep  and  permanent 
on  the  New  China,  writing  his  name  in  the  first  rank  of  China's 
moral  and  spiritual  benefactors.  Dr.  Ament  was  a  man  of  rich 
endowments.     He   had  a  body  of  unusual  strength  and  vigor, 

^  Hubbard  of  Foochow  was  the  founder  of  the  first  society  and  is 
regarded  by  the  United  Society  as  the  founder  of  the  work  in  China. 


354  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

a  mind  of  wide  culture,  of  restless  activity,  and  an  equally  ac- 
tive religious  nature.  In  English  he  was  gifted  both  as  a 
speaker  and  writer.  With  a  quick  imagination  his  thoughts 
clothed  themselves,  seemingly  without  effort,  in  appropriate 
words,  and  his  living  sentences  flowed  as  on  a  dancing  stream, 
delighting  the  ear  and  enriching  the  minds  of  hearers. 

Dr.  Ament  was  distinguished  as  an  excellent  speaker  and 
preacher  in  the  Chinese  language.  He  had  a  wide  and  ready 
vocabulary  and  with  his  abounding  spontaneity  he  compelled 
interest  in  what  he  was  saying.  He  stood  among  the  few  who 
had  such  mastery  of  the  Chinese  that  he  made  it  a  living  medium 
of  great  thoughts  and  noble  feelings.  Among  his  most  valuable 
gifts  to  the  Christian  Church,  the  writer  would  venture  to  place 
the  high  quality  of  his  sermonic  power  as  a  standard  to  stimu- 
late effort  in  imitation  among  the  Christian  leaders  in  China. 

Dr.  Ament  was  distinguished  for  both  physical  and  moral  cour- 
age. Such  courage  seemed  to  be  spontaneous  in  its  expression, 
springing  from  a  permanent  mental  habit.  Following  the  Boxer 
upheaval,  while  the  hand  of  law  was  still  paralyzed,  he  went 
boldly  among  the  people  everywhere  demanding  a  just  repara- 
tion to  the  native  Christians  for  the  frightful  wrongs  done  them. 
He  rescued  men  and  women  from  the  hands  of  their  persecutors, 
gathered  together  broken  families,  set  little  companies  of 
Christians  in  their  places,  inspiring  them  with  hope  and  cour- 
age in  the  new  conditions  of  life. 

New  Haven,  Conn.,  Jan.  12,  igog. 
To  Mrs.  Ament  : 

Dear  Friend: — At  a  meeting  of  the  Dwight  Place 
Church  held  this  evening  it  was  the  expressed  desire  of  the 
church  that  you  receive  from  us  this  brief  testimony  of  the 
grief  we  feel  with  you  in  the  death  of  Dr.  Ament,  our  honored 
missionary  and  your  dear  husband. 

From  the  20th  of  December,  1901,  when  by  a  vote  of  the 
church  we  were  permitted  to  call  him  our  "Foreign  Mission- 
ary Pastor,"  he  has  been  more  and  more  commending  himself 
to  our  admiration  as  a  great  counsellor  and  administrator  in 
the  things  of  God's  kingdom,  and  coming  closer  and  closer  to 
our  hearts'  affection  as  a  true  Christian  brother.  On  Satur- 
day, January  9th,  we  heard  that  he  had  passed  away  beyond 
our  reach,  to  higher  service.  Sunday  a.  m.  our  pastor 
preached  upon  the  text,  Psalm  Ixxxiv.  4,   "  Blessed  are  they 


MEMORIAL  SERVICES  AND  TRIBUTES    355 

that  dwell  in  Thy  house:  they  shall  be  still  praising  Thee," 
and  in  the  sermon  he  appropriately  spoke  of  your  husband's 
place  in  the  missionary  movement  of  to-day,  his  splendid  char- 
acteristics as  a  man,  and  how  he  still  would  praise  God  through 
the  influence  of  his  life  in  China,  on  all  who  knew  him  in 
America,  and  especially  on  the  Dwight  Place  Church.  We 
hope  you  received  our  telegram  before  you  laid  away  his  body, 
for  we  wanted  you  to  feel  that  we  were  in  spirit  standing  be- 
side you  there.  Oh,  how  great  is  the  number  of  those  who 
stood  there,  even  of  the  Celestials  redeemed,  and  coming  up, 
many  of  them,  out  of  great  tribulation.  Surely  such  a  life  was 
not  lived  in  vain,  cut  off  as  he  was  in  his  years  of  strength. 
God's  ways  are  not  ours.  We  bow  as  you  do,  and  own  that 
all  must  be  right.  We  bow  in  tears  and  we  bow  also  in  thank- 
fulness for  the  blessed  work  God  permitted  him  to  do,  and 
in  reverence,  for  we  are  in  His  hands,  who  knows  the  end  from 
the  beginning.  We  commend  you  and  your  son  to  God  and 
His  grace.  You  have  known  in  other  days  of  storms  ''that 
the  anchor  holds."  May  it  keep  us  all  till  the  morning  dawns 
and  the  shadows  flee  away. 

Sincerely, 
Your  Friends  of  the  Dwight  Place  Church, 
William  S.  Todd,  Clerk. 

Peking,  Feb.  14,  igog. 
My  dearly  loved  Friend  : 

They  are  just  having  the  Christian  Endeavor  meeting  in 
the  church  and  we  ladies  have  come  away,  having  done  all  we 
could  to  make  it  beautiful  for  our  two  memorial  services  this 
afternoon. 

On  the  pulpit,  with  the  top  just  even  with  the  reading  desk, 
hangs  the  fine  framed  picture  of  Dr.  Ament,  reminding  me  that 
he  "yet  speaketh,"  and  always  will  speak  from  that  pulpit. 
All  around  the  picture  trails  a  vine,  wandering  Jew,  from  a  con- 
cealed pot,  and  a  slender  vase  of  daisies  and  rose  geranium 
leaves  stands  just  above  the  picture.  The  platform  and  the 
communion  table  and  organ  are  beautiful  with  green  and  our  few 
white  flowers,  chiefly  daisies,  of  which  I  have  three  pots  in  blossom, 

I  think  nothing  in  Dr.  Ament' s  life  and  home-going  has 
touched  me  so  much  as  the  beautiful  poem  found  on  his  desk, 
which  Miss  Russell  will  send  you.  The  reading  of  it  towards 
the  close  of  the  English  service  was  most  impressive.     Perhaps 


356  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

it  was  partly  because,  lately,  I  have  had  to  live  in  such  a  heart- 
tiring  rush  that  the  "  Valley  of  Silence  "  appealed  to  me  so. 

The  words  of  the  speakers  on  Sunday  were  not  a  more  beau- 
tiful tribute  to  Dr.  Anient  than  the  sympathetic  audience. 
The  very  air  seemed  fragrant  with  living  memories  and  I  real- 
ized more  than  ever  before  what  the  loss  of  Dr.  Ament  means 
to  Peking.  Our  girls  could  not  sing  very  well  that  day,  for 
their  voices  were  too  choked.  Still,  ''The  Lord  is  mindful  of 
His  own"  sounded  very  sweet.  We  chose  it  because  it  was 
one  of  Dr.  Ament's  favorites. 

Very  lovingly, 

LuELLA  Miner. 

From  Prof.  F.  W.  Williams,  son  of  Dr.  Williams,  the 
secretary  of  the  United  States  Legation,  Peking,  who  for 
seventeen  years  filled  this  distinguished  position  : 

JVew  Haven,  Jan.  7,  igog. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Ament  : 

I  am  distressed  to  learn  of  the  illness  of  Dr.  Ament  and 
of  the  necessity  of  your  return  with  him  to  this  country.  I  left 
him  in  Peking  hardly  six  months  ago  apparently  so  well  that 
the  news  comes  to  me  as  a  sort  of  shock,  involving  as  it  does 
the  welfare  of  one  whom  I  have  learned  to  consider  as  a  very 
dear  friend.  Dr.  Ament  was  so  good  to  me  during  my  stay 
in  Peking,  adding  so  greatly  to  the  pleasure  and  profit,  as  to 
associate  his  name  with  all  my  memories  of  the  place.  I  recall 
the  dozen  days  spent  in  your  house  there  as  among  the  most 
delightful  in  my  whole  long  journey. 

I  need  not  tell  you  how  sincerely  I  hope  and  pray  for  you. 

We  cannot  see  the  light  far  beyond  our  human  vision  while  we 

struggle  in  the  dark,  but  we  know  it  is  there,  we  must  know  it 

is  there  to  guide  us,  or  how  unutterably  miserable  we  should  be. 

Believe  me  to  be, 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

F.  W.  Williams. 

Presidenf  s  Room,  Western  Reserve  University, 

Adelbert  College,  Cleveland,  Jan.  ig,  igog. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Ament: 

I  learned  only  last  night  that  you  had  arrived  in  Ober- 
lin.     Since  I  knew  of  the  sickness  of  your  husband  and  of  the 


MEMORIAL  SERVICES  AND  TRIBUTES     357 

end,  my  heart  has  gone  out  to  you  and  to  your  son  in  tender 
sympathy.  Mrs.  Thvving  can  never  forget  what  he  was  to  us  in 
Peking,  only  a  year  ago.  He  seemed  not  only  one  of  nature's 
noblemen,  but  also  one  of  Christ's  heroes,  so  vigorous,  so 
strong,  so  alert,  so  effective  in  service,  so  helpful  to  every  one 
and  to  every  cause  was  he. 

Your  husband,  Dr.  J.  P.  Jones  and  I  roomed  in  the  same 
entry  at  Andover,  thirty  years  ago.  His  going  breaks  another 
tie  which  binds  us  to  that  happy  past.  Will  you  convey  to 
your  son  my  sense  of  blessedness  for  him  that  he  has  such  a 
father,  as  well  as  accept  for  yourself  my  gladness  that  you  have 
such  a  husband. 

Believe  me,  with  great  regards. 

Ever  yours, 

Charles  F.  Thwing. 

Racine  J  Wis.,  Jan.  26,  igog. 
Rev.  Dr.  J.  Edward  Kirbye,  Medifia,  Ohio. 

My  dear  Friend  : — Mrs.  Ament  writes  me  of  your 
memorial  service  planned  for  next  Sunday  for  my  dear  friend 
and  Andover  classmate,  Dr.  W.  S.  Ament.  As  class  secretary 
of  the  Andover  class  of  1877,  with  whom  he  graduated  from 
the  Seminary,  permit  me,  in  behalf  of  us  all,  this  brief  word 
expressive  of  our  love,  sympathy  and  appreciation  of  the  man 
and  our  sense  of  your  and  our  deep  bereavement.  His  bright, 
happy  face  and  unconventional  Christian  spirit  were  always  a 
good  cheer  to  us  in  student  days.  We  knew  his  life  plan,  yet 
he  seemed  quite  happily  unlike  the  traditional  type  of  mission- 
ary candidates.  We  have  watched  his  growth  and  achieve- 
ment through  the  years,  as  he  has  contributed  his  periodical 
offering  to  the  class  letter  going  round  the  world.  His  Chris- 
tian heroism  during  the  siege  of  Peking  commanded  our  won- 
der and  admiration  as  did  his  statesmanship  and  breadth  of 
vision  in  the  days  that  followed,  while  he  endured  hardness  as 
a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ  from  men  of  narrower  vision  who 
misunderstood  him.  His  work  is  its  own  crown.  His  depart- 
ure seems  to  us  untimely  and  deplorable,  but  God,  no  doubt, 
has  larger  things  for  him  to  do  in  His  limitless  kingdom,  and 
God  knows  best.  To  the  church  of  his  early  love  and  devo- 
tion in  the  home  land,  to  the  wife  and  son  so  deeply  bereft,  to 
the  missionary  circle  belting  the  globe  who  loved  him  and  who 
mourn  his  loss,  and  to  the  far-away  people  of  his  great  parish 


358  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

in  the  Orient,  to  whom  his  loss  is  irreparable,  our  hearts  go  out 
in  sympathetic  grief.  He  was  "  facile  princeps  "  in  our  swiftly 
narrowing  class,  though  we  were  proud  of  our  four  missionaries 
in  Japan,  Turkey  and  China.  We  shall  miss  him  here,  but  we 
shall  meet  him  yonder  in  God's  good  time. 

With  sincere  regard, 

Samuel  T.  Kidder. 

From  Dr.  J.  P.  Jones,  of  Madura  Mission,  India  : 

It  is  thirty-three  years  since  Dr.  Ament  and  I  first  met  at 
Andover  Theological  Seminary.  I  have  known  him  and  re- 
joiced in  him  ever  since  as  a  brother  missionary — a  man  whom 
God  has  greatly  honored  as  a  servant  in  the  Far  East.  Seven 
years  ago  we  spent  together  our  furlough  at  Oberlin  and  in  my 
frequent  intercourse  with  him  I  was  charmed  by  his  combined 
force  and  attractiveness.  During  the  last  few  years  I  had 
frequent  correspondence  with  him,  especially  with  reference  to 
the  vital  problem  of  church  union  in  China  and  India.  His 
broad  Catholic  spirit  made  him  a  leader  among  his  peers  in 
China  in  the  advocacy  of  comity  and  federation  among  the 
Christian  forces  of  that  great  land  of  China.  The  missionary 
body  wisely  chose  him  as  the  chairman  of  the  Committee  on 
Christian  Union,  of  the  Shanghai  Conference.  Few  know  how 
thoroughly  and  eagerly  he  studied  this  fundamental  question,  but 
we  all  know  how  eloquently  and  convincingly  he  advocated  the 
cause  of  union  in  his  report  at  the  great  conference.  And  Chris- 
tian union  in  that  far-off  land  will  owe  more  to  his  sagacity  and 
eager  advocacy  than  any  one  can  now  realize.  In  his  last  letter  he 
dwells  upon  the  situation  in  China  revealing  a  keen  understand- 
ing of  the  true  inwardness  of  officials  in  that  land  such  as  only  a 
man  of  his  long  experience  and  statesman-like  views  and  vision 
could  possess.  The  missionary  body  feels  deeply  its  loss  in  the 
death  of  Dr.  Ament,  one  of  the  most  able,  consecrated  and 
heroic  men  of  God. 

An  appreciation,  Eev.  William  B.  Stelle  : 

Look  at  Dr.  Ament' s  picture  and  you  see  the  man.  God 
gave  him  a  constitution  abounding  in  vigor  and  kept  him  grow- 
ing. Energy  multiplied  in  him.  There  was  always  the  stir  of 
advance.      He  was  at  home  out-of-doors.      Men   were   his 


MEMORIAL  SERVICES  AND  TRIBUTES    359 

chief  interest.  Children  fascinated  him.  Even  the  Chinese 
wondered  at  his  memory  of  faces  and  names.  He  was  fond  of 
music  and  though  not  a  musician,  his  soul  sang.  Many  tedi- 
ous hours  over  rough  Chinese  roads  were  enlivened  with  hymns, 
generally  in  Chinese.  Humor  thrilled  him,  and  the  stories  of 
his  experiences  imparted  to  his  associates  convulsed  the  mirth 
centres.  Not  only  was  his  home  a  veritable  asylum  of  cheer, 
but  his  time  seemed  to  have  no  other  course  than  to  flow  for  his 
fellow  men  in  distress.  This  man,  gaining  rare  friendly  inter- 
course with  some  of  the  most  prominent  officials  of  the  empire, 
directly  connected  with  almost  every  possible  philanthropic  or- 
ganization in  the  capital,  frequently  aiding  in  like  movements 
in  the  neighboring  cities,  the  chairman  of  an  important  mis- 
sionary committee  for  all  China,  this  public  man  the  hoodlums 
of  the  neighborhood  counted  as  their  chum,  and  they  were  right. 
More  than  the  efficient  shepherd  of  his  flock  of  a  thousand  in  a 
neglected  community  of  three  million,  he  was  the  slave  of  any 
man  who  seemed  to  need  a  friend. 

And  no  pastor  ever  seemed  more  exclusively  to  belong  to  his 
parish.  There  was  no  troubling  of  the  waters  when  he  did  not 
carry  the  most  needy  soul  to  the  brink.  Holy  Week  was  a 
God-given  festival  when  he  led  his  people  in  psalms  of  ascent. 
All  of  the  twenty  small  churches  frequently  heard  his  gospel 
message  and  entered  with  him  into  the  Holy  of  Holies  as  the 
child  of  God  truly  communed  with  the  Father.  Dr.  Ament's 
greatest  talent  was  the  power  of  prayer.  To  him  prayer  was 
the  act,  almost  an  art,  in  which  all  of  life  culminated.  His 
usual  pulpit  was  at  the  large  city  church,  a  college  church  at 
the  capital,  and  with  its  average  congregation  of  five  hundred 
worthy  of  the  best  of  preachers.  He  felt  the  responsibility  and 
rose  to  the  privilege.  Day  after  day,  also,  at  the  street  chapel, 
he  fished  for  men,  and  on  Sunday,  with  some  of  these  new  in- 
quirers present,  a  life-giving  process  throbbed  through  the 
sermon.  The  form  differed  but  the  theme  was  Christ,  our  way 
to  God.  His  rugged  faith  conveyed  itself  through  his  words 
and  God  seemed  near.  The  best  thoughts  that  have  entered 
into  the  hearts  of  men,  lighted  up  with  love,  were  presented  so 
simply  and  clearly  that  the  schoolboys  were  interested.  Feel- 
ing was  strong  and  the  common  duties  of  life  were  portrayed  in 
warm  colors.  Large  sections  of  truth  were  dealt  with,  which 
by  their  very  bigness  were  attractive.  And  when  preparation 
had  been  legitimately  forced  to  the  minimum,  Dr.  Ament  could 


360  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

take  the  subject  of  the  Sunday-school  lesson  and  with  almost 
Socratic  freedom  carry  the  discourse  to  heights  of  apprehension 
and  desire  which  enabled  the  congregation  to  separate  and  feel 
that  they  had  worshipped  in  the  house  of  God  and  received 
strength  from  on  high.  In  the  special  pastoral  functions  of 
baptism  and  communion  Dr.  Ament  was  at  his  best  and  his 
thought  was  happy  and  impressive.  His  English  sermons, 
preached  in  turn  with  other  missionaries  to  a  congregation 
largely  of  preachers  and  teachers,  were  eagerly  anticipated,  and 
always  suggestive  and  uplifting.  A  signal  legacy  of  great 
worth  which  the  Peking  church  and  the  twenty  lesser  churches 
received  from  Dr.  Ament  is  the  prayer-meeting  training,  given 
by  this  master  of  leaders.  The  boys'  school,  the  training 
classes,  the  annual  meetings,  all  were  fused  with  the  evangelistic 
spirit  of  this  apostle  at  Peking. 

Dr.  Ament  was  always  ready.  He  kept  himself  in  condition. 
His  possessions  were  for  the  most  part  at  hand.  This  made 
him  an  interpreter  of  exceptional  power. 

The  fine  beauty  of  his  personality,  high  virtues  become  habits, 
the  atmosphere  of  the  man,  those  who  were  nearest  to  him  know 
best.  And  the  younger  missionaries  associated  with  him  are  his 
most  ardent  eulogists. 

If  there  be  a  chance  to  serve  in  heaven,  he  is  now  giving 
his  strength  to  such  high  service.  Christ  was  to  him  a  Hero, 
and  the  revelation  of  God.     He  is  with  Christ  and  the  Father. 

Tientsin^  China,  Feb.  27,  igog. 
My  dear  Will  : 

Ever  since  your  father  was  taken  seriously  ill  last  sum- 
mer I  have  wanted  to  write  to  you.  But  I  hoped  and  prayed 
for  his  recovery,  and  most  of  the  time  definitely  expected  it, 
and  I  wanted  to  wait  till  recovery  was  quite  assured  before  I 
wrote,  so  that  my  letter  might  be  full  of  good  cheer  and 
promise.  I  heard  of  your  father's  death  on  the  morning  of 
February  3d,  when  I  was  just  starting  for  the  country.  Dur- 
ing your  father's  illness  I  had  the  privilege  of  being  much  with 
him.  Of  course  extended  conversation  was  not  wise  and  in  the 
early  part  of  each  night  he  was  drowsy  and  often  slightly 
delirious,  but  towards  morning  he  would  often  wake  up  bright 
and  talk  to  me  freely.  Perhaps  he  talked  more  freely  to  me 
than  to  others,  because  I  had  been  with  him  so  much  in  the  old 
days  in  Peking.     The  whole  impression  was  of  a  man  who  had 


MEMORIAL  SERVICES  AND  TRIBUTES    361 

done  his  work  well,  had  practically  finished  the  hardest  part  of 
it  and  was  content  now  to  leave  it. 

That  such  an  opinion  was  justified,  I  gather  from  every 
evidence.  As  to  the  Peking  station — it  is  the  largest  station  in 
the  mission,  without  question  the  best  organized,  and  the 
growth,  development  and  organization  were  principally  his 
work, — though  (at  this  time)  he  had  the  cordial  cooperation  of 
Mr.  Stelle,  Miss  Russell  and  others.  There  have  been  raised 
up  three  Chinese  pastors,  who  got  their  example  and  inspira- 
tion from  your  father,  principally,  and  who  are  fitted  now  to 
carry  on  the  work  efficiently,  with  their  memories  of  him  and 
his  precious  legacy  to  them. 

Your  father  was  a  remarkable  man.  The  active  side  of  his 
nature  was  so  vigorous,  so  constantly  in  evidence  that  it  was  a 
continuing  source  of  surprise  to  me  that  he  was  scholarly  also. 
The  combination  is  so  rare  that  one  could  hardly  credit  it  at  first. 
I  believe  it  took  me  a  long  time  to  apprehend  that  one  who  was 
always  on  the  alert,  ready  for  anything,  and  '*up  and  at  it," 
could  be  anything  more  than  superficial  in  scholarship.  But 
there  were  constant  evidences  that  the  studious  side  of  his  life 
was  genuine.  During  his  illness  he  wondered  why  God  had 
called  him  to  suffer  so  much.  But  was  he  not  even  at  the  close 
of  his  earthly  life  made  perfect  through  suffering  ?  We  can  but 
rejoice  for  him,  but  you  cannot  know  how  much  he  will  be 
mourned  and  missed  in  Peking  and  throughout  our  mission. 
He  was  the  most  effective  evangelistic  worker  and  the  most  suc- 
cessful organizer  we  ever  had. 

Yours  faithfully, 

Chas.  E.  Ewing. 

Resolutions  of  the  !N"ortli  China  Mission,  June,  1909 : 
^  *  The  members  of  the  North  China  Mission  of  the  American 
Board  wish  to  express  their  sorrow  and  deep  sense  of  loss 
in  the  departure  from  earth  of  Rev.  W.  S.  Ament,  D.  D., 
for  more  than  thirty  years  a  member  of  this  mission. 
Dr.  Ament^s  executive  ability  and  untiring  energy,  his 
fine  scholarship  and  earnest  and  eloquent  preaching,  his 
fidelity  to  the  great  evangelical  truths  of  Christianity,  his 
high  ideals  of  character  and  conduct,  his  quick  and  warm- 
hearted sympathy,  his  readiness  to  help  the  poor  and  dis- 


362  WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

tressed,  and  his  courage  and  promptness  in  action  made 
him  a  power  for  good  in  the  city  of  Peking.  Here  and 
in  the  surrounding  region  his  great  life-work  was  done. 
The  Peking  church,  with  its  more  than  a  thousand  mem- 
bers, a  large  number  of  whom  were  baptized  by  him,  is 
his  lasting  memorial.  Both  among  his  own  people  in  the 
homeland,  and  among  those  to  whom  he  ministered  in 
China,  he  had  a  rare  power  of  communicating  the  impulse 
to  purer  and  better  things,  and  to  a  higher  and  nobler  life. 
Eespected  and  loved  by  multitudes  of  the  Chinese  for 
whom  his  life  had  been  spent,  he  has  passed,  we  believe, 
into  the  more  immediate  presence  of  the  Master,  with 

"  Life's  race  well  run, 
Life's  work  well  done, 
Life's  crown  well  won. 

*^  His  sorrowing  wife  and  son,  and  his  mission  associates, 
the  Chinese  Christians,  to  whom  as  pastor  and  guide  he 
was  a  tower  of  strength,  and  his  many  friends  on  both  sides 
of  the  ocean  have  in  their  grief  and  sorrow  the  peace  and 
comfort  of  believing  that  he  has  entered  into  the  infinite 
reward  and  blessedness  of  the  Master's  service  in  those 
realms  where  there  is  neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  bond  nor 
free,  but  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus ;  and  where  we  be- 
lieve he  is  with  many  who  have  been  brought  into  God's 
kingdom  through  him." 

THE  SONG  OF  THE  MYSTIC 

{Found  tacked  up  in  Dr.  Amenfs  desk.) 
I  walk  down  the  Valley  of  Silence  — 

Down  the  dim  voiceless  valley — alone, 
And  I  hear  not  the  fall  of  a  footstep 

Around  me,  save  God's  and  my  own, 
And  the  hush  of  my  heart  is  as  holy 

As  hovers  where  angels  have  flown. 


MEMORIAL  SERVICES  AND  TRIBUTES    363 

Long  ago  I  was  weary  of  voices 
Whose  music  my  heart  could  not  win ; 

Long  ago  I  was  weary  of  places 

That  fretted  my  soul  with  their  din  ; 

Long  ago  I  was  weary  of  places 
Where  I  met  but  the  human  and  sin. 

In  the  hush  of  the  Valley  of  Silence 

I  dreamed  all  the  songs  that  I  sing  ; 
And  the  music  that  floats  up  the  valley 

Till  each  finds  a  word  for  a  wing, 
That  to  hearts,  like  the  dove  of  the  deluge, 

A  message  of  peace  they  may  bring. 

Do  you  ask  me  the  place  of  the  Valley, 
Ye  hearts  that  are  furrowed  with  care? 

It  lieth  afar  between  mountains, 
And  God  and  His  angels  are  there ; 

And  one  is  the  dark  mount  of  sorrow, 
And  one  is  the  bright  mount  of  Prayer. 

—Father  Byan, 


Appendix 


From  the  Oberlin  Review,  Jan.  ig,  igog  : 

WILLIAM  SCOTT  AMENT 

An  Appreciation — Preacher,  Teacher,  Statesmatiy  and  in 
a  Sense,  Martyr,  for  China 

Oberlin  has  a  long  list  of  honored  missionaries,  but  not  one 
more  worthy  of  distinction  than  Dr.  Ament.  This  veteran  of 
the  North  China  Mission  had  completed  full  thirty  years  of  serv- 
ice when  he  entered  into  rest  at  San  Francisco,  on  January  6, 
1909,  while  on  his  way  home  for  medical  advice. 

Dr.  Ament' s  service — nearly  all  of  it  in  Peking — was  in 
many  and  varied  forms.  He  was  not  only  pastor  of  the  South 
Congregational  church,  attended  by  many  students  and  the 
American  Board  missionaries  in  Peking,  but  was  at  the  head 
of  a  large  evangelistic  work  centering  in  Peking,  and  reaching 
out  into  a  wide  range  of  country  about  the  capital.  He  was  a 
trustee  of  the  Peking  University  (Meth.  Episcopal)  ;  an  ex- 
aminer of  students  preparing  for  diplomatic  service  ;  depositary 
of  the  Tract  Society ;  chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Comity 
and  Federation  for  all  China ;  and  for  several  years,  president 
of  the  National  Christian  Endeavor  Union  of  China. 

Dr.  Ament  had  a  deep  and  human  interest  in  all  classes  of 
people.  His  friendships  were  not  on  a  horizontal  stratum,  but 
up  and  down.  To  every  one  he  met  he  gave  his  interest  and 
often  practical  help,  as  well.  He  inspired  very  many  boys  to 
desire  and  get  an  education — often  having  to  encounter  the 
lack  of  interest,  or  the  active  opposition  of  their  friends  to  their 
attending  school. 

Though  not  a  physician,  he  carried  simple  remedies  on  his 
country  tours,  and  relieved  many  ailments  and  won  many 
friends  to  listen  to  his  gospel  message.  He  fully  believed  in 
the  Christian  ministry  as  the  noblest  form  of  service,  and  could 
not  comprehend  why  so  many  of  these  best  equipped  for  such 
service  should  turn  aside  to  other  pursuits. 

364 


APPENDIX  365 

He  was  a  fine  linguist.  At  the  opening  of  the  Union 
Medical  College  in  Peking,  he  was  given  but  five  minutes  to 
read  over  the  manuscript  of  United  States  Minister  Rockhill's 
address,  which  he  then  interpreted  to  a  select  audience,  largely 
made  up  of  high  Chinese  officials.  To  overstate  the  object  or 
plan  of  the  college  would  be  to  invite  official  opposition.  Many 
Americans  left  the  meeting  full  of  praise  of  his  skill  and  tact 
in  rendering  the  speech  into  Mandarin. 


From  the  Congregationalist : 

A  LOSS  TO  BOTH  CHINA  AND  AMERICA 
By  Rev.  J.  L.  Barton,  D.  D, 

Rev.  William  S.  Ament,  D.  D.,  entered  into  missionary 
service  in  China  under  the  American  Board  in  1877,  and  on 
January  7,  1909,  in  Lane's  Hospital,  San  Francisco,  while 
upon  his  way  home  for  special  treatment,  he  entered  into  rest. 
These  thirty  years  mark  the  span  of  service  of  a  man  who  was 
freely  accorded  a  great  place,  not  only  among  the  missionaries 
of  the  American  Board,  but  among  the  missionaries  of  all 
denominations  in  China. 

Few  missionaries  in  these  later  years  have  been  more  wedded 
to  the  Church  and  the  direct  work  of  its  propagation.  He  per- 
mitted his  feet  and  his  hands  to  be  tied  by  no  other  institution, 
so  that  the  Church  as  an  organization  and  as  an  expanding, 
growing  body  could  command  his  time  and  his  best  strength. 
He  was  naturally  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel.  Soon  after  reach- 
ing Peking,  he  was  to  take  me  about  one  evening  to  see  various 
phases  of  Christian  work.  He  said  he  was  leaving  his  street 
chapel  near  his  house  in  the  care  of  two  Chinese  preachers. 
As  we  started  out  we  came  first  to  this  chapel.  We  sat  for  a 
iQ'N  moments  while  a  Chinese  preacher  was  addressing  the 
company.  Dr.  Ament  grew  uneasy,  and  turning  to  me  he 
said,  "I  think  1  will  have  to  say  a  little  something  to  them," 
and  then  he  spoke  with  wonderful  force  for  more  than  a  half 
hour.  He  then  hurried  me  off,  saying,  **  If  we  don't  start  I 
shall  preach  all  the  evening." 

He  was  equally  at  home  with  a  city  or  a  rural  audience.  No 
one's  preaching  was  more  sought  than  his  at  Peking,  and  no 
man  in  China  could  better  call  and  hold  the  crowd  for  hours 


366  APPENDIX 

in  the  remote  interior  villages.  He  seemed  to  understand  the 
heart  of  the  Chinese  and  know  how  to  satisfy  its  cravings.  The 
cruel  and  baseless  attack  made  upon  him  in  this  country  by 
Mark  Twain,  in  1901,  left  a  deep  wound  in  his  heart,  in  spite 
of  the  fact  that  it  was  clearly  shown  that  his  acts  had  been 
above  criticism.  He  said  one  night,  as  we  were  sitting  in  a 
Chinese  inn  upon  our  way  to  Shansi,  "  I  presume  there  are  many 
in  the  United  States  who  regard  me  as  little  better  than  a  thief 
and  a  robber."  I  tried  to  assure  him  that  no  missionary  was 
more  honored  than  he,  none  more  absolutely  trusted,  as  it  had 
been  proven  that  the  charges  had  no  foundation  in  fact.  He 
replied,  "That  is  true,  but  do  the  people  beheve  the  proof,  and 
will  the  truth  ever  catch  up  with  the  charge?  " 

I  had  heard  that  he  possessed  a  large  number  of  elaborately 
prepared  silk  banners  and  official  umbrellas,  given  him  by  the 
people  of  the  different  towns  to  which  he  had  rendered  distin- 
guished service  in  adjusting  financial  losses  incurred  by  the 
Boxer  troubles.  While  in  his  house  frequently,  I  saw  none, 
and  asked  him  if  he  had  them.  He  said,  "Oh,  yes,  I  have 
some  packed  away  in  a  trunk."  I  asked  him  if  I  might  see 
them  some  time.  He  replied,  "Yes,  if  you  wish."  The  day 
before  I  was  to  leave  the  city  I  went  to  his  house  and  said : 
"  Dr.  Ament,  you  have  not  yet  shown  me  those  banners ;  what 
is  the  reason?  Do  you  not  wish  to  let  me  see  them?" 
"Certainly,"  said  he;  "  you  can  see  them  if  you  desire,  but  I 
don't  care  to  make  an  exhibit  of  them."  There  was  a  large 
trunk  packed  full  of  the  collection  of  elaborate  and  rich  silk 
tokens,  made  up  of  hundreds  of  yards  of  silk.  These  were 
covered  by  thousands  of  names  of  residents  in  the  different 
towns  and  cities,  officials  and  common  people,  who  had  taken 
this  Chinese  way  of  expressing  the  gratitude  they  all  felt  because 
what  threatened  to  be  an  expensive  and  long  drawn  out  in- 
ternational complication  had  been  quietly  adjusted  by  this 
man  of  God  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  concerned.  As 
he  would  take  no  remuneration  for  himself,  they  could  but 
present  him  with  their  expression  of  gratitude,  emblazoned  in 
colossal  characters  of  gilt  paper  upon  Chinese  silk,  to  which 
their  names,  in  black,  were  attached.  There  were  official  um- 
brellas in  the  lot  that  would  have  commanded  homage  in  any 
city  or  town  in  China,  and  yet  that  modest  missionary  had 
almost  to  be  forced  to  drag  them  out  from  their  place  of  secret 
hiding  to  show  them  to  his  secretary. 


APPENDIX  367 

I  asked,  "What  are  you  going  to  do  with  these?"  He 
replied  :  ''I  have  no  use  for  them.  Of  course  I  cannot  show 
them."  I  asked,  **Will  you  let  me  have  one?"  He  said, 
with  animation,  **  Why,  yes;  take  them  all  and  do  with  them 
what  you  will."  I  have  from  that  lot  one  umbrella  and  two 
banners,  almost  enough  to  put  me  in  the  Mandarin  class,  if 
only  my  name  were  Ament. 

Is  it  any  wonder  that  the  Chinese  and  the  missionaries  and 
the  officials,  native  and  foreign,  loved  that  man,  and  with  one 
accord  acknowledged  his  masterful  leadership,  and  to-day 
mourn  his  death  with  a  profound  consciousness  of  the  loss  they 
and  the  cause  of  Christ  in  China  have  sustained  ?  Where  is 
the  man  who  will  go  out  to  take  the  place  thus  made  vacant  ? 


From  the  Advance,  January  28 y  igog : 

A  FALLEN  HERO 
By  A.  N.  Hitchcock,  D.  D. 

It  is  suggestive  of  the  fortunes  of  war  that,  at  a  time  when 
our  Congregational  hosts  are  planning  the  greatest  campaign 
of  their  history,  one  of  their  most  honored  commanders,  long 
at  the  far  front  of  the  battle,  is  silently  borne  homeward  lying 
upon  his  shield.  It  was  far  into  the  night  of  Monday,  January 
nth,  when  a  belated  Illinois  Central  train  rolled  almost  noise- 
lessly into  the  great  Twelfth  Street  Station,  bearing  the  remains 
of  Dr.  Ament.  His  heart-broken  wife  kept  silent  vigil  through 
all  the  long  journey  from  San  Francisco,  where,  on  January 
6th,  in  Lane  Hospital,  after  a  somewhat  prolonged  illness, 
which  necessitated  his  return  from  North  China,  he  fell  on  sleep. 
From  Chicago  the  little  sorrowful  group  proceeded  by  next  train 
to  Owosso,  Michigan,  where  our  honored  brother  was  laid  to 
rest  in  the  family  burial  ground. 

W.  S.  Ament  was  a  man  of  action,  of  quick  decision,  of  high 
conscience,  and  of  resolute  courage.  With  these  qualities  he 
combined  a  certain  breadth  of  judgment  and  a  kindness  of 
heart  which  gave  him  wide  influence  in  North  China,  and 
indeed  throughout  the  various  Protestant  missions  of  China. 

Standing  one  day  in  the  spring  of  1907  in  Tung-chow  among 
some  of  the  ruins  of  the  awful  desolation  caused  by  the  Boxer 
uprising,  and  walking  over  the  same  road  leading  to  Peking 


368  APPENDIX 

along  which  Dr.  Ament  escorted  the  missionaries  and  native 
Christians,  I  realized  as  never  before  the  peril  of  the  under- 
taking. The  legations  and  many  missionaries  were  shut  in  at 
the  capital.  The  Chinese  soldiers,  the  Boxers,  and  the  howl- 
ing mob  outnumbered  the  foreigners  and  native  Christians  fifty 
to  one.  At  that  juncture  Dr.  Ament  applied  to  United  States 
Minister  Conger  for  a  detachment  of  soldiers  to  rescue  the 
American  missionaries  in  Tung-chow — twelve  miles  away — and 
conduct  them  to  Peking.  But  the  American  forces  were  already 
too  few  and  Minister  Conger  declined.  Nothing  daunted, 
Ament  got  together  something  like  a  dozen  carts,  with  mules  and 
drivers,  and  under  his  personal  escort  they  proceeded  to  Tung- 
chow,  took  the  missionaries  and  Christians  aboard  and  returned 
to  Peking  in  safety,  after  the  lapse  of  only  twelve  hours.  It  was 
as  if  some  flaming  sword  of  an  angel  had  guarded  them  on 
their  way.  For  no  sooner  were  they  out  of  Tung-chow  than  the 
fury  of  the  mob  broke  loose  and  both  college  and  missionary 
homes  were  quickly  laid  in  ruins. 

The  man  of  such  rugged  courage  was  also  a  man  of  kindly 
patience  and  of  restraint  under  provocation.  I  well  recall  an 
occasion,  just  after  his  return  to  America,  following  the  libera- 
tion from  Peking,  when  he  addressed  an  audience  of  several 
hundred  at  a  noon  hour  in  Chicago.  At  the  close  of  his 
address  a  prominent  lawyer  came  to  the  platfoim  and  asked 
the  writer  to  introduce  him  to  Dr.  Ament.  This  was  done, 
whereupon  the  lawyer  invited  both  of  us  to  lunch  with  him. 
We  had  not  been  long  at  the  table  before  our  host,  who  was 
saturated  with  the  criticisms  of  Mark  Twain,  turned  upon  Dr. 
Ament  a  most  irritating  fire  of  cross-questioning.  These 
questions  did  not  seem  intended  to  bring  out  information,  but 
were  adroitly  constructed  for  the  evident  purpose  of  entangling 
the  missionary  and  involving  him  in  misdemeanors  if  not  in 
crimes.  It  was  a  flagrant  abuse  of  courtesy  and  I  have  never 
been  able  with  perfect  calmness  to  recall  the  incident.  But 
this  brave  missionary  bore  it  all  in  patience,  spoke  calmly  and 
kindly,  set  forth  clearly  the  exigency  of  conditions  in  Peking 
and  the  plain  instructions  of  the  United  States  minister,  under 
which  he  was  acting  at  every  step,  and  withal  revealed  such  a 
wealth  of  knowledge,  as  well  as  of  humane  sympathy  and 
practical  judgment,  that  the  keen  lawyer  seemed  a  moral  pygmy 
in  comparison. 

One   of  the  latest  services  rendered   by  Dr.  Ament  to  the 


APPENDIX  369 

growing  cause  of  missions  in  China  was  his  able  paper  on 
*' Christian  Comity"  at  the  great  conference  in  Shanghai,  in 
1907.  I  had  seen  him  on  various  other  occasions,  but  never 
before  had  he  seemed  to  me  quite  so  much  the  Christian  states- 
man as  when  he  outhned  and  enforced,  with  eloquent  and 
powerful  argument,  a  great  plan  of  essential  union  for  all  the 
Christian  forces  of  the  empire. 

Ament  is  gone.  There  are  many  circles  of  admiring  friends 
in  America  who  sorrow  over  his  departure.  But  next  to  the 
loved  ones  of  his  own  family  there  are  none  who  will  feel  a 
heavier  lonesomeness  than  his  associates  in  the  North  China 
Mission  and  especially  the  large  company  of  Chinese  Christians 
to  whom  he  was  a  tower  of  strength  and  a  steadfast  friend. 


Index 


Adams,  Rev.  W.  M.,  D.  D.,  rec- 
ommendation, 33 

Aiken,  Rev.  E.  E.,  98 

Aitcheson,  Rev.  W.  H,,  assistant 
interpreter  to  ambassador,  56 

Ament,  Winfield  Scott,  moves  to 
Owosso,  15;  trip  to  New  Or- 
leans, 16;  marriage,  17;  business 
activity,  18;  death,  19 

Ament,  Mrs.  Emily  Hammond, 
ancestry,  17  ;  marriage,  18 ;  home 
life,  34 ;  Dr.  Lindley's  visit,  34 ; 
with  son  at  Medina,  88  ;  return  to 
Owosso,  93-96 ;  removes  to  Ober- 
lin,  310  ;  death,  336 ;  letters  from 
her  son,  work  among  the  people, 
47  ;  summer  touring,  48 ;  study 
of  language,  51 ;  temples  at 
hills,^6o ;  death  of  his  sister,  68  ; 
trip  to  Fang  Shan,  73;  Emperor 
goes  to  Temple  of  Heaven,  270 ; 
mission  meeting,  274 ;  Cho  Chou 
premises,  287  ;  Pu  An  Tun, 
287;  Wen  An,  288;  Christ- 
mas, 297 ;  Manchu  pupil,  308 ; 
pianola  playing,  308 

Ament,  William  Scott,  ancestry, 
14,  17  ;  birth,  14;  boyhood,  22; 
life  at  Oberlin,  23,  27 ;  seminary 
life,  N.  Y.,  29-30;  Andover 
Seminary,  31-35  ;  marriage,  35  ; 
ordination,  36 ;  sails  for  China, 
36  ;  life  at  Pao  Ting  Fu,  37  ;  re- 
moves to  Peking,  60;  life  in 
Peking,  71 ;  touring  in  style, 
76 ;  Christmas  in  Peking,  79 ; 
tours  to  Cho  Chou,  81 ;  pastorate 
in  Medina,  88-96;  return  to 
China,  97  ;  death  of  Emily,  1 17  ; 
opens  Shun  Yi,  123;  studies  on 
Marco  Polo,  140 ;  second  fur- 
lough, 143 ;  work  at  Owosso, 
143  ;  address  at  American  Board 
meeting,  143;  farewell  ^t  Owosso, 


143  ;  receives  degree  from  Ober- 
lin, 153 ;  conference  of  native 
churches,  155  ;  reported  escape, 
184  ;  secures  Mongol  Fu,  191 ; 
work  in  siege,  201  ;  messenger 
boy,  203 ;  restoration,  205 ;  in- 
terprets for  Captain  Forsythe, 
207  ;  bric-a.-brac  sale,  207  ;  at- 
tacked by  Clemens  in  North 
American  Review,  210;  arrest 
at  Cho  Chou,  221 ;  methods  re- 
garding indemnity,  230 ;  defense 
of  the  people,  239 ;  rescues  an 
elderly  lady,  240  ;  efforts  to  assist, 
241  ;  New  Haven  church  adopts, 
250  ;  sympathy  with  the  Chinese, 
251 ;  called  home  to  report,  255  ; 
returns  to  Owosso,  255  ;  address 
at  New  Haven,  257  ;  banquet  in 
New  York,  260 ;  campaigning  in 
America,  263  ;  returns  to  China, 
268 ;  sunstroke,  282 ;  attends 
Viceroy's  reception  Tientsin, 
283 ;  popular  lectures  in  Peking 
given,  305 ;  interview  Viceroy 
Tuan  Fang,  307  ;  Committee  on 
Federation,  311  ;  trip  to  Shansi, 
317;  attends  Centennial  Memo- 
rial, 321 ;  presents  resolutions, 
322 ;  meets  Wang  Chao,  328;  aids 
independent  church,  329  ;  trans- 
lates "  Passion  Week,"  334 ; 
death  of  his  mother,  336-337 ; 
annual  meeting,  1908,  340  ;  coun- 
try trip,  340;  summer  training 
school,  341 ;  goes  to  seaside,  342; 
attack  of  disease,  342;  Mrs. 
Ament  arrives,  342 ;  return  to 
the  United  States,  344-345 ; 
death  at  San  Francisco,  348 ; 
memorial  services,  349-35 1 ; 
burial  at  Owosso,  349  ;  memorial 
estimates,  352 
Ament,   Mary   Penfield,  marriage, 


371 


372 


INDEX 


35  ;  illness  and  return  to  United 
States,  62 ;  home  at  Peking,  69 ; 
birth  of  son,  75  ;  home  at  Medina, 
89 ;  birth  of  William  Sheffield, 
92 ;  home  life  in  Peking,  103 ; 
hillside  home,  114;  death  of 
Emily,  1 14  ;  life  in  Owosso,  143; 
return  to  China,  268;  interprets 
for  Mrs.  Conger,  276;  life  at 
Oberlin,  310 ;  plans  return  to 
China,  340;  arrives  at  Pei  Tai 
Ho,  342;  returns  with  invalid 
husband,  343 ;  Ovi^osso  memorial 
service,  349;  letters  from,  coun- 
try trip,  271;  Pastor  Hung,  272; 
funeral  customs,  273  ;  Mr.  Thurs- 
ton's illness,  282  ;  letters  from  her 
husband,  troubles  in  Shantung, 
168 ;  death  of  Pastor  Chang 
Chun  Jung,  17 1 ;  Boxers  increase, 
180;  arrival  of  Marines,  182; 
Nan  Meng  looted,  183  ;  story  of 
siege,  184-192 ;  rescue  of  lega- 
tions, 192;  entrance  to  Mongol 
Fu,  192  ;  refugee  work,  197-198 ; 
march  through  imperial  city,  198 ; 
Boxer  atrocities,  199 ;  London 
Times  story,  204  ;  gathering  of 
food,  205  ;  reports  of  Shansi  and 
Pao  Ting  Fu  massacres,  206;  in- 
terprets for  Captain  Forsythe, 
207 ;  French  and  English  soldiery, 
212  ;  reception  at  Cho  Chou,  212 ; 
confers  with  agent  of  Li  Hung 
Chang,  216 ;  German  and  French 
soldiers,  217;  General  Chaffee's 
reception,  219;  trip  to  Tientsin, 
220;  Christmas  gifts,  312;  in- 
dependent church,  329 ;  Feder- 
ation and  Term  question,  330  ; 
press  in  Peking,  330 ;  "  Passion 
Week,"  334 

Ament,  Margaret,  buried  at  Pao 
Ting  Fu,  53-54 

Ament,  Philip  Wyett,  birth,  75; 
illness  and  death,  76 

Ament,  Emily  Hammond,  birth, 
86;  teaching  little  girls,  114; 
death,  116,  123;  character  and 
influence,  memorial  school,  119; 
story  of,  120;  visit  to  grave,  125 


Ament,  William  Sheffield,  birth, 
92;  letters  to,  297,  312,  315  ; 
meets  his  parents  at  San  Fran- 
cisco, 34S 

American  Asiatic  Association,  re- 
ception at,  260 

Angell,  Hon.  J.  B.,  Minister  to 
China,  65;  Treaty  of  1881,  64- 

65 
Angell,    Mrs.,  Memorial   Training 

School,  267,  313 
Annual     Meeting,     North     China 

Mission,   1905,  303;  1907,  320- 

321 ;  1908,  340 
Annual  Meeting,  American  Board, 

Hartford,  262 
Anser,  Roman  Catholic  Bishop,  166 

Backhouse,  E.,  trip  to  Cho  Chou, 
221 

Barton,  J.  L.,  feast  given  for,  315  ; 
trip  to  Shansi,  319;  estimate  of 
Dr.  Ament,  365-366 

Barton,  W.  E.,  "  Little  Book,"  334; 
letter  from,  335 

Bashford,  Bishop,  views  of  Federa- 
tion, 323 

Blodget,  Rev.  Henry,  opens 
Peking  station,  54-56;  death, 
288,  293 

Boston  Journal,  "  Humorist 
Astray,"  236 

Bostwick,  H,  J.,  discovers  Rocky 
Point,  92 

Boxers,  origin  of  name,  167  ; "  Bub- 
ble," 180 

Bric-i-brac  sale,  207 

Bridgman,  Mrs.  EHza  C,  buys 
mission  premises,  57  ;  starts 
school,  57 ;  Bridgman  School, 
267,  292 

Brooks,  murder  of,  157 

Brown,  Rev.  Fred,  184 

Buddhist,   temples  at   Fang  Shan, 

73 
Burial  service  at  Owosso,  349-350 

Cable  to  Ament  from  Boston,  231- 

232 
Cary,  Clarence,  letter  to  Ament, 

214 


INDEX 


373 


Gary,  Otis,  33,  255 

Centenary    Memorial    Conference, 

321 
Chamberlain,    correspondent    Sun, 

22S  ;  cable  to  Sun,  229 ;  cables 

plan  of  ministers,  235 
Chang  Chih  Tung,  Viceroy,  160 
Chang    Hsin  Tien,  Australian 

preacher,  314 
Chang  Hsi  Hsin,  translator,  1 1 1 
Chang    Yen    Mao,    Commissioner, 

235 

Chinese  coins,  136 

Cho  Chou,  ancient  spiritual  inter- 
est, 141 ;  silkworm  origin,  142; 
chapel,  221,  226;  official,  226, 
249,  250 

Christian  Endeavor  Society,  Ament 
founder  in  North  China,  291  ; 
elected  trustee,  290 ;  Ning  Po 
Convention,  302 ;  Hubbard, 
founder,  353 

Church  benevolence,  153 

Church  News,  109;  need  of,  1 24; 
editorial  work,  137 

Clark,  Rev.  Geo.  N.,  letters  to, 
application  for  appointment,  32  ; 
arrival  in  Pao  Ting  Fu,  39 ; 
famine  relief,  43 ;  summer  ex- 
perience, 45  ;  signs  of  progress, 
49;  an  official  inquirer,  53; 
transfer  to  Peking,  60;  Mrs. 
Ament  returns  to  United  States, 
62 ;  Roman  Catholics  at  Hsien 
Hsien,  66 ;  reception  at  Peking, 
67  ;  country  floods,  78  ;  Cho  Chou 
as  a  centre  of  work,  82  ;  rivers  of 
Chihli,  86 

Clark,  F.  E.,  179-180,  291 

Comity  and  Federation,  311  ;  com- 
mittee on,  322-324 

Conference,  Shanghai,  1890,  105 

Conference  of  powers,  235 

Conference  of  native  churches,  155, 

303 

Confucius,  elevation  to  deistic 
honors,  320 ;  school  in  ancestral 
city,  320;  Duke,  seventy-fifth 
generation,  loi,  301,  321 

Conger,  E.  H.,  United  States 
Minister,  169,  185 ;  interview  at 


Kobe,  253-254;  interest  in  mis- 
sion work,  254 ;  reception  in 
New  York,  260 

Conger,  Mrs.  Sarah  P.,  <'  Letters 
from  Peking,"  275  ;  reception  of 
princesses,  276,  289 

Convocation  of  workers,  303 

Corbin,  Rev.  P.  L.,  316-317 

Coup  d'  etat,  reforms  proposed,  149 

Cowles,  Rev.  Henry,  35 

Cox,  railroad  engineer,  attack  upon, 
148 

Creegan,  Rev.  C.  C,  account  of 
New  York  reception,  260 ;  esti- 
mate  of    Shanghai   Conference, 

325 
Criticism  of  missionaries,  239 
Cromer,  Rev.  J,,  26,  144 
Cunningham,     Rev.,     regard     for 

Ament,  346 

Darnley,  John,  letters  to,  108, 

125 

Davis,  Hon.  J.  W.,  Ambassador  to 
China,  56 

Devins,  Rev.  Dr.  J.,  visit  at  Peking, 
281 

Duncan,  Rev.  Moir,  rescues  mis- 
sionaries in  Shensi,  244;  inter- 
cedes for  Tuan  Fang,  244 

Dwight  Place  Church,  adopts 
Ament  as  its  missionary,  256 ; 
memorial  service  for  Ament,  349, 
354 

Edwards,  Dr.  J.  H.,  222 

Emperor,    French    doctor    reports 

health,  148  ;  Christians  pray  for, 

148 
Empress     Dowager,     audience     to 

legation  ladies,  153;   present  to 

Miss  Sheffield,  275 
Estimate  condition  of  church,  339 
Ewing,  Rev.  C.  E.,  letter  in  memory 

of  Ament,  360-361 

Fairchild,  Rev.  J.  H.,  commend- 
atory letter,  24 

Famine  of  1878,  40 

Federation  conference,  303 ;  news 
report  of,  331 


374 


INDEX 


Fen  Chow,  trip  to,  318 

Finney,  Rev.  Chas.  G.,  comment 
on,  24 

Floods  in  Wen  An,  78 

Forsythe,  Captain,  U.  S.  A.,  expedi- 
tion to  Shun  Yi,  207 

French  priests,  63 

French  war,  80 

Fries,  Dr.,  translator,  329-330 

Gailey,  Rev.  R.  R.,  aids  in  revi- 
val, 300 

Gammon,  C.  F.,  agent  Bible  So- 
ciety, 174 

Gait,  Rev.  H.  S.,  arrival  in  China, 
161 

Gladden,  Rev.  Washington,  "  Rul- 
ing Ideas  "  translated,  154 

Golden  Tartars,  epoch  of,  55 

Goodier,  Russian  linguist,  297 

Goodrich,  Rev.  Chauncey,  reached 
Peking,  58  ;  paper  on  "  Terms," 

293 
Gould,  Daniel,  uncle  of  Ament,  19 
Gould,  Miss  Anna  A.,  body  found 

at  Pao  Ting  Fu,  222 
Gray,  Dr.  Geo,,  British  Legation, 

342 
Greek  Church,  ceremonial,  1 12,  1 13 
Gulick,  Rev.  John,  enters  Mongol 

work,  57 

Hall,  Prof.  L.  B.,  companion  at 

school,  23 
Hall,  Captain,  U.  S.  Marines,  187 
Hammond,  family  genealogy,  17 
Hart,  Sir  Robert,  gift  to  memorial, 

108 ;  summer   at  seashore,   147  ; 

estimate   of  war,  284,"  295  ;  gift 

to  church,  295  ;  leaves,  337 
Hartford    Courant,   editorial,    237, 

2b2 

Haven,   Miss    Ada    (Mrs.    C.  W. 

Mateer),  74,  197,  198 
Hayner,  134 
Hemingway,  Dr.,  317 
Heebner,  Flora  K,,  316 
Herring,  Sergeant,  auctioneer,  191 
Hicks,  Harry  W.,  visit  at  Peking, 

334-335 


Hinman,    Rev.   G.    W.,    secretary 

Y.  M.  C.  A.,  283,  290 
Hinman,  Miss  Susan,  128 
Hitchcock,   Dr.  A.  N,,  ««  A  Fallen 

Hero,"  367-369 
Hodge,  Dr.,  killed  at  Pao  Ting  Fu, 

181 
Holcombe,    Chester,  opens   North 

Chapel,    58,    59 ;    builds    Tank 

Chapel,  59 
Hsiao     Chang,    London     Mission 

station,  167 
Huai  Lai,  Christians  killed,  181 
Hung,   Shan   Tung,  native  pastor, 

152,  177,  272;  funeral  of  father, 

273 
Hunt,  P.  R.,  arrives  in  Peking,  58- 
59  ;  skill  in  printing,  59 ;  death, 

59 
Hymnology,  translations,  69 

Incendiary   fires,  333 ;  alarm  of 
Empress,  334 

Japanese  as  educators,  300 

Jen  Chao  Hai  (Hsueh  Hai),  work 

at  Pu   An  Tun,    106 ;  ordained 

at  Peking,   154,  273,  289,  296; 

trip  to  Mukden  as  evangelist,  300 

Jesuits  at  Hsien  Hsien,  66 

Jones,  Rev.  A.  G.,  visit  at  Peking, 

135 
Jones,  Dr.  J.  P.,  letter  to,  338  ;  esti- 
mate of  Ament,  358 
Joyce,  Bishop,  in  danger,  135 
Jung,  first  helper  at  Peking,  58 

Kang  Yi,  imperial   commissioner, 

157,  160,  170 
K'ang   Yu  Wei,  Reformer  leader, 

158  ;  unfit  for  such,  158 
"Keng    Tze    Nien,"    cycle    year, 

1900,  166 
Kidder,    Rev.    Samuel   T.,   fellow 

student,  31  ;  estimate  in   memo- 
rial, 357 
Kingman,  Rev.  H.,  136 
Kirbye,    Rev.    J,    E.,    estimate    of 

Ament's  pastorate,  95  ;  memorial 

address,  349 


INDEX 


375 


Kublai    Khan,   studies  regarding, 

140 
Kung  Chun    Fu,  native   pastor   at 

Tung-chow,  321 
Kung    Li    Hui,   "  Congregational 

church,"  321 

Leete,  Rev.  W.  W.,  letters  to, 
256,  263-264 ;  account  of  jour- 
ney, 277-280 ;  federation,  292- 
293;  Tuan  Fang,  307-308; 
church-membership,  309 ;  uni- 
versity extension  lectures,  309 ; 
centennial  conference,  310  ;  com- 
mittee work,  310;  spirit  of  con- 
ference, 327  ;  Yang  Tze   River, 

327 

Leggat,  Clarabel,  letters  to,  63 
Li  Chin  Fang,  messenger  to  Tien- 
tsin, 189 
Li  Hung  Chang,  Viceroy,  227,  235 
Li    Pen    Yuan,    second    ordained 
pastor,  Cho   Chou,  300 ;  estimate 
of  Ament  as  pastor,  344 
Lindley,  Rev.  Daniel,  visits  home 

of  Mrs.  Ament,  34 
Lu  Kou  Ch'iao,  Marco  Polo  bridge, 
trouble    on    railroad,    148 ;    Cox 
hurt,  148  ;  station  opened,  269 

MacDonald,  Sir  Claude,  192; 
interview,  244 

Mandarin  version,  59 

Mann,  Prof.  A.  S.,  drowned  at 
Kuling,  330 

Marco  Polo,  55,  81 ;  literature  con- 
cerning, 139 

Marines,  at  Peking,  149 

Mateer,  John  L.,  superintends  the 
press,  128,  161  ;  illness,  175; 
death,  180 

Mateer,  Rev.  Dr.  C.  W.,  162 

Mateer,  Ada  Haven,  74,  197 

Memorial  service  for  Dr.  Ament,  at 
New  Haven,  349,  354;  at  Medina, 
349 ;  at  Owosso,  349  ;  at  Peking, 

351-354 

Meng  family,  37 

Meng    Chi    Hsien,    Pao    Ting   Fu 

pastor,  102 
Meng  Chi  Tseng  (Chang  So),  46 


Miner,   Miss    Luella,   290 ;   •«  Ap- 
peal," 356 
Mint,  defense  of,  246;  transfer  to 

Germans,  246 
Missionary    Association,   cable    to 

North  American  Review,  236 
Moffat,  Dr.,  affirms  diagnosis,  347 
Money  in  mission  work,  163 
Mongol  Fu,  191,  221 
Mongol  Princess  School,  306 
Moore,  Prof.  E.   C,  320  ;  estimate 

of  conference,  325 
Morgan,  Rev.  John,  Oberlin,  26 
Morrill,  Miss  Mary  A.,  222 
Morrison,    Dr.    J.    G.,  estimate   of 

new  empire,  284-285 
Morrison,  Dr.    Robert,  Centennial 

Memorial,  321 
Mott,  J.   L.,  spiritual  work  among 

students,  135 

Nan  Meng,  church  at,  183 

New  Haven  Journal  and  Courier^ 

257 
Noble,   W.   C,    superintendent  of 

press,  60 
North  American  Review,  210,  230 
North  China  Mission,  55  ;  memorial 

resolutions,  361-362 
North  Church,  organized,  59 ;  new 

chapel,  288 

Oberlin  College,  23,  26,  153 

Oberlin  Review,  obituary  of  Dr. 
Ament,  364 

Ordination  of  second  pastor  in  Pe- 
king, 296  ;  of  Wang  Wen  Shun, 
299-300 

Owosso,  early  appearance,  19;  first 
church  built,  19 

P'ang   Chuang   station,   54,   163, 

166 
Pao  Ting  Fu,  37 
"Passion     Week,"     334;     "His 

Life,"  334 
Patchin,  Rev.  J.,  22 
Payne,  Miss  Jessie,  346 
Peachey,  211 
Pei  Le  Fu,  196 


376 


INDEX 


Pei  Tai  Ho,  summer  school,  280 ; 

Federation  Conference,  311 
Peking,      55;      association,     194; 

church-members,    269 ;    changes 

in,  304 
Penfield,  Prof.,  35 
Penfield,  Mary  Alice,  35,  67 
Perfectionists,  at  Oberlin,  26 
Pethick,  W.  N.,  peace  commission 

to  Japan,  130 
Pettee,  Rev.  J.  H.,  337 
Pierson,  Rev.  Isaac,  35,  37 
Ping  Ching  (see  P'ing  Ting) 
P'ing  Ting,  out-station,  176 
Popular  lectures,  305-306,  332 ;  for 

women,  306 
Porter,  Rev.  H.  D.,  54 
Porter,  Miss  M.  H.,  58 
Porter,  Rev.  L.  C,  343,  347 
Portsmouth,  Treaty  of,  304 
Prayer  Hall,  Peking,  267 
Press  of  American  Board,  59,  no, 

128 
Prisons,  100 
Pu   An   Tun,   out-station,   revival, 

106;  persecution,  152 
Punitive  expedition,  226 
Purchase  of  land,  266 
Pyke,  Rev.  J.  H,,  345 


Reid,  Rev.  Gilbert,  shot,  188 
Richard,  Rev.  Timothy,  164 
Roberts,    Rev,    James  H.,  visit  to 
Hsien  Hsien,  66 ;  Andover  class, 

337 
Rockhill,   W.    W.,    United    States 
Minister,    Christmas   in  Peking, 

313 

Roman  Catholic,  battles  with 
Boxers,  177  ;  indemnities,  227 

Russell,  Miss  N.  N.,  story  of  siege, 
201-204;  messenger  boy,  203; 
Mongol  compound,  207  ;  restora- 
tion, 208-211 ;  a  pastoress  in  Pe- 
king, 289,  312 

Russian- Japanese  war,  285,  294 

Russian  Church,  297  ;  service  in, 
298 

Ryder,  Rev.  C.  J., pastor  at  Medina, 
89 


ScHiRMER,  Miss  M,  G,,  letters  to, 
29 ;  Feast  of  Lanterns,  39  ;  first 
summer  in  China,  41  ;  winter 
touring,  46 ;  Roman  Catholic 
work,  48 ;  work  in  Medina,  90 ; 
return  to  China,  93 ;  changes,  98 ; 
home  life,  103  ;  death  of  Emily, 
117;  retreat  at  hills,  126;  cam- 
paign work,  263 ;  death  of  Miss 
Wyett,  270  ;  seaside,  294 

Seabury,  Rev.  Mr.,  drowned  at 
Ruling,  330 

Shanghai,  second  missionary  con- 
ference, 105  ;  Memorial  Confer- 
ence, 321-326 

Shansi,  trip  to,  87,  319 

Shaw,  Rev.  William,  54 

Sheffield,  Rev.  D.  Z.,  letter  to  Dr. 
Smith,   227  ;   memorial   address, 

353 
Sheffield,  Elizabeth,  interprets  for 
Mrs.  Conger,  275  ;  gift  from  Em- 
press   Dowager,  275  ;  marriage, 
275 
Shen   Ta   Jen,  official,  feast  with, 

328  ;  zoological  garden,  329 
Shun   Yi    City,    new  chapel,  123; 

opening  feast,  150,  247-248 
Silkworm,  original  home,  141 
Smith,  A.  H.,  54,  171,  197,  220 
Smith,  Rev.  Judson,  letters  to,  86, 
90,  99,  104  ;  church  people,  106; 
death  of  Prince  Chun,  109  ;  North 
Chapel,  113  ;  Tung-chow  college, 
124;    mission   press,    128;    fear 
of  war,   128  ;    special    meetings, 
132;    cholera    spreading,     133; 
new  openings,  133  ;  Peking  mem- 
bership,  134;  coup  d'etat,  145; 
reform,      157  ;      Emperor      and 
Boxers,  170;  Church  News  gXvtx\ 
up,  173;  plans  for  church  build- 
ing,    174;    Boxer    craze,     176; 
methods     regarding    indemnity, 
230 ;    return    to    Peking,    268 ; 
church-membership  additions  to 
church,  273;  new  church  build- 
ing,   299 ;    Peking    conference, 
299  ;  Home  Mission  Society,  300 
Soldiers'  depredations,  225 
•*  Song  of  the  Mystic,"  362 


INDEX 


377 


South   Church,  premises  enlarged, 

Squiers,  Pargo,  295 

Squiers,  Herbert,  294-295 

Stelle,  William  B.,  joins  mission, 
176;  marriage,  275;  apprecia- 
tion of  Anient,  358-360 

Stewart,  Dr.,  sold  premises,  57 

Stewart,  Mrs.,  story  of  ordination, 

36 
Stimson,  M.  L.,  68 
Stonehouse,  Rev.  J.,  shot,  226 
Strong,  Rev.  E.  E.,  319-320 
Student  Volunteer  Conference,  156 
Sun,  New  York,  admits  error,  230 
Su,  Prince,  palace  used,  188;  sons 

in  school,  328 

Ta  Tag  Society,  166 

Tai  Ku,  87 

Tang  Chia  Lane,  Pao  Ting  Fu,  38 

Tang  Shao  Yi,  interview  on  opium, 

314 
Tank,    Madam    C.  L.  A.,  gifts    to 

North  China  Mission,  59,  267 
Te,    Duchess,  at    Chao    Kung  Fu, 

276  ;  son  a  pupil,  333 
Teng      Shih      Kou,      street,     58 ; 

premises    burned,     186;    losses, 

189;    chapel    and    mission    en- 
trance, 265-266 
Tewksbury,  story  of,    193-196;   at 

Chao  Kung  Fu,  218,  303 
Thurston,  Lawrence,  267 
Thwing,  Rev.  C.  F.,  letter  to  Mrs. 

Ament,  357 
Tombs,     imperial,      eastern,      74; 

western,      74;     Tze     Hsi,     75; 

Kuang  Hsu,  75  ;  T'ung  Chih,  75 
Tract  Society,  North  China,  107 
Translators  of  New  Testament  in 

Mandarin,  revision,  159 
Treat,  Rev.  S.  B.,  34 
Treat,  Dr.  A.  O.,  37 


Tuan  Fang,  Viceroy  Shensi,  244  ; 
premises  entered,  245  ;  commis- 
sioner to  United  States,  245  ;  in- 
terview, 307  ;  school  and  pupils, 

313 

Tung-chow,  annual  meeting,  181 
Tung  Fu  Hsiang,  General,  168,  172 
Twain,    Mark,    article    in    North 

American  Review,  210,  230,  234; 

Dr.  Smith's  letter  to,  232-234 

Union  College  of  Arts,  292 ;  for 
men,  292 ;  for  women,  292 ;  of 
medicine,  292  ;  of  theology,  341 

Union  of  Chinese  Christians,  New 
Year  greetings,  332 

University  extension  lectures,  305 

Waldersee,  Count  von,  250 

Wang  Chao,  reformer,  328 

Wang  Wen  Shun,  ordained  pastor, 

299-300 
War  correspondents,  223 
Wen  Jin,  letter  from,  199 
Western  Tombs,  74 
Wilder,  Rev.  Geo.  D.,  referred  to, 

19  ;  memorial  address,  352 
Williams,  Prof.  Fred  W.,  letter  of 

esteem,  356 
Woman's  Daily,  Peking,  306 
Woman's  Union  College,  267 
Wright,  Rev.  Geo.  F.,  179,  184 
Wyckoff,  Miss  Gertrude,  181 
Wyett,    Miss    Anna    M.,  97,    103 ; 

story   of   Emily,    1 20;    letter   t£> 

Madam  Ament,  131  ;  death,  270 

Young,  Dr.  C.  W.,  267  ;  decides  to 
send  Ament  home,  342-343 

Young,  Mrs.  C.  W.,  Christmas 
tree,  297 

Yuan  Shih  K'ai,  167 

Yli  Hsien,  Governor  of  Shansi,  167 

Yii-wang-fu,  196 


CHINA 


£&St  of  the   B£Urrier  :      Manchuria  in  Miniature 

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Chr  • 


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TRAVEL,  MISSIONARY 


JOHN  W.  ARCTANDER 

The  Apostle  of  Alaska 

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A  record  of  the  phenomenal  life-work  and  thrilling  ex- 
periences of  William  Duncan  during  fifty  years  among  the 
Indians  in  British  Columbia  and  Alaska.  Marvellous  is  this 
story  of  the  reformation  in  the  Indian  character  and  its  di- 
version to  useful,  practical  pursuits  as  Duncan  tells  of  how  he 
originated  industrial  enterprises,  such  as  boat-building,  saw- 
milling,  and  established  a  large  and  lucrative  salmon  cannery, 
acting  all  the  while  as  instructor  and  overseer,  besides  being 
school-master,  preacher  and  pastor.  It  reads  like  a  romance 
as  it  narrates  the  wonderful  story  of  his  missionary  work  and 
industrial  labors  among  his  loved  chosen  people. 


GERALDINE  GUINNESS 

Peru :  Its  Story,  People  and  Religion 

Illustrated,  8vo,  cloth,  net  $2.50. 

Miss  Guinness,  from  an  extended  tour  of  Peru,  has  pre- 

{>ared  a  wonderful  volume  of  description.  She  pictures  a 
and  of  great  extremes  of  climate;  gardens  flourishing  at 
altitudes  higher  than  Mt.  Blanc  and  deserts  at  the  sea  side, 
and  a  people  sadly  in  need  of  the  touch  of  Christian  civiliza- 
tion. The  author's  father,  H.  Grattan  Guinness,  has  provided 
for  the  book  45  illustrations,  photographs,  maps,  photograv- 
ures. 

G.  Campbell  Morgan  says:  "From  whatever  standpoint  I 
approch  this  work,  I  find  it  impossible  to  speak  too  highly 
in  praise  of  it.  Its  literary  style  is  full  of  charm,  and  withal 
full  of  life.    Its  grouping  of  facts  is  superbly  done." 


MANUEL  AND  U JAR 

Spain  of  To-day  from  Within 

With    Autobiography    of    Author.     Illustrated,     i2mo,     cloth, 
net  $1.25. 

An  instructive,  interesting  narrative  of  a  native  of  Spain, 
who  knows  his  country  well.  He  was  brought  up  a  Catholic, 
and  later  on  embracing  the  Protestant  religion,  he  became  a 
minister  of  the  Gospel.  The  stories  of  his  travels  in  Spain 
will  be  found  entertaining  as  well  as  instructive  reading,  as 
will  be  his  glad  narrative  of  the  progress  of  evangelical  work 
in  that  priest-ridden  nation.  The  book  is  delightfully  illu»- 
trated,  and  will  be  sure  to  be  widely  and  eagerly  read. 


MISSIONARY 


The  Foreign  Missionary  ^°  ^^'^'Movemin?*  ^°'*** 

izmo,   Cloth,    $1.50   net.  ARTHUR  J.  BROWN 

Dr.  Brown,  out  of  a  long  and  intimate  experience  deals 
•with  such  questions  as.  Who  is  the  Missionary?  What  are 
his  motives,  aims  and  methods?  His  dealings  with  proud 
and  ancient  peoples.  His  relation  to  his  own  and  other 
governments?  His  real  difficulties.  Do  results  justify  the 
expenditures?  How  are  the  Mission  Boards  conducted? 
etc.,   etc.     The  book  is   most  intelligently  informing. 

The  Conquest  of  the  Cross  in  China 

JACOB  SPEICHER 

W5th    Chart  and   Illustrations,    i2mo,   Cloth,   $1.50   «et. 

The  contents  of  this  book  were  first  delivered  as  lec- 
tures to  the  students  at  Colgate  University.  Mr.  Speicher  has 
the  true  instinct  of  the  news  bringer.  He  has  lived  in  South 
China  long  enough  to  know  it  thoroughly.  He  is  distin- 
guished by  common  sense  in  his  judgments,  made  palatable 
by  a  free  literary  style. 

China  in  Legend  and  Story 

i2mo.    Cloth,   $1.25   net.  C.  CAMPBELL  BROWN 

By  one  of  the  C.  M.  S.  best  known  missionaries.  It 
consists  of  seventeen  stories,  true  to  legend  or  to  fact,  ten  of 
them  studies  of  the  Chinese  people  as  they  are  when  heathen, 
and  seven  of  them  of  the  same  people  when  they  become 
Christians.  The  stories  cover  a  wide  range  of  social  life, 
representing  every  class  in  the  community,  from  mandarins 
to  thieves  and  beggars.  As  Mr.  Campbell  Brown  is  a  keen 
observer,  and  wields  a  graceful  pen,  the  book  is  unusually 
interesting  and  valuable. 

A  Typical  Mission  in  China 

X2mo,  Cloth,  $1,50  net  W.  E.  SOOTHILL" 

"The  book  is  comprehensive,  instructive,  well  written, 
interesting  and  valuable  in  every  way.  Those  who  read  it 
will  get  such  a  glimpse  into  Chinese  life  and  methods  as  they 
may  never  have  had,  and  will  certainly  be  edified  and  stimu- 
lated to  a  new  zeal  in  the  work  of  missions." — Herald  and 
Presbyter. 

Robert  Clark  of  the  Panjab  ^^^rr^'smlmaf " 

8vo.  Cloth,  $1  75  net  HENRY  MARTYN  CLARK 

"The  record  of  one  of  the  makers  of  Christian  India:  as 
fascinating  as  a  novel,  and  immensely  more  profitable.  The 
more  widely  this  book  is  circulated  and  read,  the  better  it  will 
be  for  the  missionary  enterprise.  A  book  of  this  character  is 
the  best  apologetic  that  can  be  written,".— Mwjtonar;'  Intellir 
fenctr. 


TRAVEL,  MISSIONARY 


H.   G.    UNDERWOOD 

The  Call  of  Korea 

New  Popular  Edition.  Paper,  net  350.  Regular  Edition, 
i2mo,  cloth,  net  750. 
"As  attractive  as  a  novel — packed  with  information.  Dr. 
Underwood  knows  Korea,  its  territory,  its  people,  and  its 
needs,  and  his  book  has  special  value  which  attaches  to  expert 
judgment.  Particularly  well  suited  to  serve  as  a  guide  to 
young  people  in  the  study  of  missions." — Examiner, 

WILLIAM  0.  CARVER 

Missions  in  the  Plan  of  the  Ages 

Bible  Studies  and  Missions.     i2mo,  cloth,  net  $1.25. 

As  Professor  of  Comparative  Religion  and  Missions  in 
the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary  at  Louisville,  Dr. 
Carver  has  prepared  in  these  chapters  the  fruit  of  many 
years'  study.  His  aim  is  to  show  that  the  foundation  prin- 
ciples of  the  Christian  task  of  world  conquest  are  found  in 
the  Bible  not  so  much  in  the  guise  of  a  commanded  duty  as 
in  the  very  life  of  the  Christian  faith. 

ANNIE  L.   A.   BAIRD 

Daybreak  in  Korea 

Illustrated,  i6mo,  cloth,  net  6oc. 

There  can  never  be  too  many  missionary  books  like  this. 
A  story  written  with  literary  skill,  the  story  of  a  girl's  life 
in  Korea,  her  unhappy  marriage  and  how  the  old,  old  story 
transformed  her  home.  It  reads  like  a  novel  and  most  of  all 
teaches  one,  on  every  page,  just  what  the  Gospel  means  to 
the   far  eastern  homes. 

ISABELLA   RIGGS  WILLIAMS 

By  the  Great  Wall 

Selected    Correspondence    of    Isabella    Riggs    Williams,    Mis- 
sionary   of    the    American    Board    to    China,     1866-1897. 
With  an  introduction  by  Arthur  H.    Smith.     Illustrated, 
i2mo,  cloth,  net  $1.50. 
"This  volume  is  a  little  window  opened  into   the  life   and 
work    of    an    exceptionally    equipped    missionary.     It    was    at 
Kalgan,    the    northern    gateway    of    China,    that    a    misssion 
station    was    begun    amid    a    people    hard    and    unimpressible. 
It  was  here   that   Mrs.    Williams  won  the  hearts  of   Chinese 
women    and    girls;    here    that    she    showed    what    a    Christian 
home  may  be,  and  how  the  children  of  such  a  home  can  be 
trained  for  wide  and  unselfish  usefulness   wherever  their  lot 
is  cast.     No  object-lesson  is  more  needed  in  the  Celestial  Empire 
than  this.      Many    glimpses   of   that  patient   and  tireless  mis- 
sionary activity  which  makes  itself  all  things  to  all  men  are 
given." — Arthur  H.  Smith,  Author  of  Chinese  Characteristics, 
Etc. 


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